What does photo mean in photography?

A photograph (or picture) is created when light falls on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor such as the one in your smartphone/camera. It’s the process and practice of creating photographs that is called photography.

As a medium of visual communication and expression photos have unique capabilities that allow them to convey a wide range of concepts, emotions and ideas. Photos can be interpreted in a variety of ways, from the obvious to the abstract and it’s this openness to interpretation that makes them such an interesting art form.

For example, a beautiful tree in full bloom may be used to showcase the vitality and bounty of Springtime while a photograph of a river flowing through the heart of a city in drought might suggest notions of scarcity and hardship. The same can be said for images of cloud formations or landscapes – the beauty of those white fluffy clouds can be employed to suggest feelings of happiness while those same clouds, photographed in a stormy sky over regional Australia might convey the perilous nature of that particular weather event.

The way a photo is created in camera also contributes to its ability to communicate and convey meaning – the use of framing, for instance, allows a photographer to isolate and represent a subject or scene in a manner that’s consistent with their own world view. And the use of aperture to control the amount of light that reaches a camera’s sensor helps ensure an image is properly exposed.