Since 1839, photography has been an ever-growing art. We have gone from black and white film cameras to digital color cameras. In the reading, On Photography, Susan Sontag describes the significance of photography and how it affects the mind. Images continue to change how we look at things and our ideas on what is worth viewing. Sontag describes them as the “grammar and ethics of seeing.” The development of photography has become universal and has given people the ability to embrace the entire world in their heads. Taking photographs can be thought of as gathering the world in a collection of images. Sontag believes that photos form our surroundings we identify with. They are scenes and experiences captured as a simple object. They are, as Sontag describes them, “miniatures of reality.” Photography is an incredible piece of art that absolutely anyone can create or obtain. Every image has a purpose and a place. Sontag gives examples such as photographs framed on walls, or images presented in newspapers. They could be a family portrait on a coffee table, or a featured advertisement in a magazine. They become more than an instant in time. They justify events, and record experience. Images are seen as more believable, because we can actually view that specific experience. However, photographs can be easily manipulated. Sontag explains how images can be cropped, enlarged, shrunk, edited, etc. Photography is an important art, but has also become important in social use. Pictures are taken everywhere and everyday. We see photos of family vacations, memorable times with friends, important events around the world, and so on. Something as simple as a three by four printed object has become a significant piece of reality to everyone around the world.
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