ENGLISH
REFERENCE

photography

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //fəˈtɑɡɹəfi// UK //fətˈɒɡɹəfˌi// pho·tog·ra·phy General-service

n. the activity or job of taking and processing photos. You use a camera to capture light and create images of people, places, or things.

n. the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically or chemically. It encompasses both the technical process of image capture and the creative discipline of visual composition.


SIMPLE

She studies photography at the local college.

CONTEXTUAL

Digital photography has made it much easier for beginners to experiment with different lighting settings without wasting expensive film.

COMPLEX

While early photography required long exposure times and toxic chemicals, modern sensors allow us to freeze motion in low light with incredible precision and clarity.

Origin

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”).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the activity or profession; does not take a plural form.

Pitfall

I took many photographiesI took many photographsPhotography refers to the activity or art form and is uncountable; the individual images are called photographs or photos.

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