A History of Photography

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Student Question

What is the difference between a camera and the process of photography?

Quick answer:

A camera is a tool used to capture images either on film or digitally by recording light waves. In contrast, photography refers to the entire process of creating a photograph, which includes selecting a subject, considering composition and lighting, and ultimately printing the image. This process involves making various artistic and technical decisions such as special effects, color, focus, resolution, and framing.

Expert Answers

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A camera is a piece of equipment, a tool that can be used to do something. The particular type of work that a camera does is to take pictures - to capture images on a light-sensitive medium called film or to digitally record the differences in light waves entering the light sensors.

Photography is the process. Photography includes identifying a subject to be recorded, considering the composition of the scene and ensuring that the subject is portrayed accurately, taking into account light, shadow, motion, and other variables that may affect the capturing of the scene by the camera. Photography also involves the printing of the scene recorded in the camera, which can entail all kinds of decisions regarding special effects, use of color or focus, resolution of the picture, sizing of the finished photograph, and framing.

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