English Reference
noun

photography

n.
US /fəˈtɑɡɹəfi/ UK /fətˈɒɡɹəfˌi/ pho·tog·ra·phy UK spelling photographies

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    the activity or hobby of taking photographs.

    the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface.

    Simple

    She decided to take up photography so she could capture better holiday photos.

    In context

    Digital photography has democratised the medium, allowing amateur enthusiasts to experiment with composition and lighting without the prohibitive costs of film development.

    Pitfall
    I am very interested in the photography. I am very interested in photography.

    When talking about photography as a general subject or hobby, do not use the definite article 'the'.

    picture takingimaging
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the job of taking and selling photographs.

    the occupation or professional practice of taking, processing, and distributing photographs.

    Simple

    He spent years working in fashion photography before opening his own studio.

    In context

    The rise of high-quality smartphone cameras has significantly disrupted the market for professional event photography, forcing many studios to diversify their services.

    photojournalismcommercial photography

From French photographie. By surface analysis, photo- + -graphy, together meaning "drawing with light" or "representation by means of lines", "drawing". From φῶς (phôs, “of light”), and γράφω (gráphō, “write, draw”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin French photographie
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated