Photographs are vital parts of society and should be celebrated
Michael Rooney
Staff Writer
Here is a question: what would the world be like without photographs? What if photographs were never invented, and we had nothing to view from real life events?
In my home, my parents have always kept photographs in albums stocked in shelves. These pictures range from when they were growing up to modern days as me and my siblings are growing up.
Having these photographs in my home gives my family and I the chance to look back on nostalgic memories and observe how much we have grown up.
I have also observed that photographs are in many kinds of places. They are in residence rooms on campus and on my father’s work desk, they are on IPhones, and in museums, and in wallets, they are in living rooms, and in bedrooms, they are in many kinds of places, big, and small. When peo-ple are away from home, for school and/or work, they set up pictures to make their spaces feel more like home.
Today, we obviously no longer need a camera with film, because we have mobile devices that come with cameras and storage for pictures. With the existence of modern day technology, it is much easier to take photographs and store memories. We can also edit photographs right on our devices, in which we can crop them and add filters.
No matter what we use to take our photographs, we can easily share them on social media websites, such as Facebook and Instagram. Your friends and family can simply see your photographs on social media instead of seeing them in person. With that said, your friends and family can have a more in depth look at what you are up to without asking.
The same applies when it comes to Snapchat, except it is so much more advanced. For those who do not know what Snapchat is, it is a direct image messaging mobile application. When you are chatting with someone via Snapchat, you are not only communicating with them via text, but you are also attaching an image to give him or her an idea of what you are up to.
Images are not necessarily just for communication and looking back at past times, but they are also used for promotion.
More specifically, you can see them on posted advertisements. Many companies will use photographs on their advertisements to help them get an impression on them. For example, an insurance company may include a picture of people smiling to demonstrate that these people are happy with their insurance.
You can also see images right on companies. They may be used next to a company’s name and slogan to represent a logo, give a depiction of a com-pany’s purpose, and/or make the company look more unique.
You could say that photographs are everywhere in the world. If you went to a variety of different places, chances are you will see at least one image that serves some sort of purpose. Whether it be in a home or somewhere in public, a photograph can leave us with a variety of thoughts.
If the world was without photographs, it would be dull. We would probably only be able to draw images or simply describe what we see, but that would not be as exciting nor accurate. As photographs have evolved over time, they have become an important part of lives.
“Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. It has little to do with the things you see, and everything to do with how you see them.” -Elliot Erwitt
Michael Rooney is a staff writer for The Comment Newspaper.
