The Philosophy of Photography

Since I moved from Maine to Texas, I’ve been struggling to find beauty in my surroundings. I’d come from somewhere bursting with vivid colors and scenic views to what feels like another planet. It seemed almost impossible to escape suburban life to the untouched wilderness I was accustomed to.

Because of that, I dismissed my surroundings as ugly and uninteresting, which narrowed my ability to notice and appreciate small details around me. But in the past couple of months, I’ve realized that you do not need to be in a classically beautiful place to experience beauty, and the reason behind my sudden change of mind was one simple thing: my camera. 

I have loved photography since I was nine years old, and every year I fall more and more in love with it, but recently it’s because it’s influenced the very way I see the world around me.

Mark Lewis, in his article on storytelling in photography, called photographers Visual Narrators. As someone who wanted to be a writer the majority of her life, I have taken that on as my own personal motto. There are some moments whose depths cannot be described by words alone, especially because we are visual creatures. 

In fact, a research study at UC San Diego showed that emotional images had more of an effect on people's behavior and mood than words. Seeing positive versus negative images clearly changed how much subjects would drink of a beverage they’d been given, whereas emotional words had little to no effect on their actions. Even nearly invisible images shown for just 10 milliseconds impacted the participants. 

Certain choices the photographer makes can influence emotions as well. Using a warm, soft light can give the viewer a feeling of joy or hopefulness, whereas a darker and harsher light can convey a sense of loneliness and isolation. Composition is also crucial, use of negative space, especially from a distant, high angle, could tell the story of how small we are in a larger world. Whereas a close-up photo of someone invites us to step into their own personal world. 

A large-scale example of the effect photographs can have on an audience is when Dorothea Lange traveled across the country to take a series of photos to show the effects of the Great Depression on the less fortunate. Among these was the famous photograph Migrant Mother, which depicts a woman staring out past the camera with an exhausted and worried expression while two of her children lean on her shoulders. Dorothea’s images were used by the government to promote relief programs, as well as send 20,000 pounds of food to a camp of starving pea-pickers. This is just one of many instances in which photography has been used to help those in need. 

In today's fast-paced and often distracted society, we tend to miss the smaller details in places we frequent. These ‘overlooked moments or spaces’ could be hallways that are used by hundreds daily, an empty chair at a restaurant, or a streetlamp on the sidewalk. These small things we are so accustomed to that they have completely faded into the background of what we notice. 

However, photography can be used as a pause button to open our eyes to what's going on around us; we just have to be mindful of how we use our cameras. This has become increasingly harder over the years as we have moved away from film and into the age where everything is digital and unlimited storage is available. 

Where once we had a set number of photos to take, where it was impossible to see how they turned out until weeks later, and hours spent in a dark room patiently developing them, we can now quickly snap tens of pictures in a second without having to adjust the settings or worry about how they’ll come out. 

This has sparked a lot of conversation in recent years about how easily it's taken people out of important moments because they’re focused on being able to relive them years later instead of living them now. And it’s completely true, it’s something I was noticing within myself before I realized there is a way to use photography to actually keep you grounded in the present. 

Instead of mindlessly pulling out your phone to document daily scenes, choose to use your camera to help slow you down and become more aware of your surroundings and what it is exactly that you’re wanting to capture. You might be surprised to see all the details you’ve been ignoring.

There are hundreds of genres of photography, but each can utilize the ordinary to tell impactful stories. Portraits aren't just about capturing what a person looks like at the moment, but who they are. Their personal story, their identity, their soul. A well-taken portrait makes you curious. Where are they? Are they holding something of significance? Why is it significant? What has this person been through? How do they feel? 

Street photography, on the other hand, is wonderful because it isn’t planned or posed; it tells the story of public spaces where hundreds of lives have intersected each and every day for thousands of years.

Landscape or wildlife photography can showcase our relationship with the natural world, and even teach us about what goes on when we aren’t looking. 

Finally, macro photography invites us to zoom in and appreciate the tiniest aspects of this planet that are often the most overlooked. Every kind of photography is important and teaches us about the world around us, which is why I have never limited myself to one aspect of it.

I have been studying and following the work of three different photographers, each of whom have forever changed the way I look at the field, my own work, and life in general.

The first is the St. Louis-based street photographer Jackie Scharenberg. I discovered her work back in the fall, and ever since, I haven’t been able to get her out of my head. The way she uses light, the angles she shoots at to provide this cinematic look, and the general moodiness of her photos. 

The thing I love most about her work is how she focuses on every day, almost mundane, scenes. These typical suburban things we see in every city that are usually considered uninteresting or even ugly. She taught me to notice the world around me. I don’t have to go somewhere unique to take interesting pictures; that beauty can be found in our everyday scenery. And now I’m hyper aware of the world around me.

The second photographer is Andreea Badiu, whose distinct style I quickly fell in love with. She takes photos of anything and everything, but often focuses on smaller details rather than a larger scene. Her work reminded me of Wes Anderson in a way, with her colorful and saturated editing and her lonely and atmospheric style. Because of this distinct style, I learned to think ahead when taking a photo about how I might edit it later on to achieve a certain mood and tell a story.

The third is Jeremy Cowart, who is one of the most unique photographers I have discovered, he’s pushed the boundaries of what I thought was possible with this career. Every one of his photographs are different and distinctive, either because of his mixed media approach or his coined ‘lightograph’ method, where he photographs the exact same pose thousands of times with different lighting colors, directions, and intensities, all in 60 seconds. 

Not only is he an incredible photographer, but a truly beautiful person who has used his photography to make an impact. In 2008, he started a movement called Help-Portrait that encouraged photographers to take free portraits for people in need that now spans 80+ countries. His photographs of the Haitian people in 2010, after a devastating earthquake, helped convince world leaders to pledge 10 billion dollars to rebuild the island nation. His pictures were so poignant that they immediately moved me to tears. 

These are just two examples of the incredible work he’s done in the world with the use of his camera. Jeremy taught me two important lessons. One, to have fun with my photography, I don’t have to have a specific niche or style to be successful. And two, that photography can be used as a tool for change, this little instrument that can be carried in our back pocket can do wonders, and that a single image has the power to make a great deal of impact.

I have never been so passionate about anything as I am about photography, and in the past year that passion has increased tenfold. I cannot go five minutes without looking at my surroundings and thinking of what might make an interesting photo. My camera has become an extension of my arm, and I can’t leave the house without it. 

I am passionate about so many areas and subject matters, ranging from archeology to editorial work, and for so long, I thought that was my curse. Because everything I love is so different and my level of interest so often depends on my mood, I would constantly feel lost looking to the future. I’m someone who needs a plan and direction, and having so many options can be terrifying. But recently, photography has become that direction; it’s something that can go hand in hand with whatever I choose to do, and if I decide to pivot later in life to another career, photography can be my guide. 

Because what I have learned is that there are no limits or rules around this art form, there's always something new to learn or try, and it’s an endless source of inspiration. For once, I’m not overwhelmed by everything I have to learn, instead I’m anxious to start and to continue learning for the rest of my life. Which is why I’m starting my photography career now as a teenager, even if it won’t be my full time job as an adult, I love it too much to not start immediately. 

In summary, photography is so much more than clicking a button or passively looking at pictures. It can teach us about what’s happening outside our front door that we haven’t yet noticed, or what life is like on the other side of the globe. It’s something that can bring us immense joy or sorrow, and even move us to tears. It is a profound art form that has the power to alter the very way we think. 

Joan Miro perfectly summed it up when she said, “You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” So I hope after reading this that, like me, you start seeing photography as more than just photos, but stories that invite us to take a deeper look at the world around us.

 Bibliography

Cowart, Jeremy. I’m Possible. Thomas Nelson, 16 Apr. 2019.

Digital, ProGrade. “The Importance of Storytelling in Photography | ProGrade Digital.” ProGrade Digital, Inc, 5 Aug. 2023, progradedigital.com/transcending-visuals-the-importance-of-storytelling-in-photography/.

iGefen. “How Can Photography Projects Boost Your Creativity.” YouTube, 14 Dec. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EPntFTCQNc.

Kiderra, Inga. “Pictures Move People More than Words.” Today.ucsd.edu, 29 Jan. 2018, today.ucsd.edu/story/pictures_move_people_more_than_words.

Museum of Contemporary Photography. “Dorothea Lange and the Documentary Tradition – MoCP.” Www.mocp.org, 21 Sept. 2022, www.mocp.org/resources/dorothea-lange-and-the-documentary-tradition/.

The Great Courses. “Mindful Photography.” Thegreatcoursesplus.com, 4 Aug. 2025, www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/mindful-photography?tn=632_tray_Course_2_3_33053&lecplay=1.