World Photography Day 2021 is a celebration of creativity (File)
New Delhi:
World Photography Day brings together people who share a passion to capture moments and ideas and show the world what it looks like. Like historians, photographers also document the present so that future generations can understand the past. The day is all about creativity. While the evolution of technology has made photography much more linear with anyone holding a camera, very few images emerge from the lenses that accurately define the moment captured. Still, it’s amazing that more people have access to photography these days.
World Photography Day originated with the invention of the daguerreotype, the first commercially successful photographic process developed by Louis Daguerre. On August 19, 1839, the French Academy of Sciences announced the invention to the world. French essayist Roland Barthes describes a photograph in his book Camera Lucida as a reproduction of time that happened only once. “The picture mechanically repeats what could never be repeated existentially.”
How to celebrate?
Photography is a powerful and purposeful medium that initiates a very intimate conversation between the photographer and the viewer. Every year, several photo competitions are organized around the world to celebrate this exciting art form.
The World Photography Organization strives to raise the conversation about photography worldwide through exhibitions, awards and competitions. Founded in 2007, it organizes photo competitions in four sectors: for professionals, for students, young people and in the open category. Registrations are now open.
TechRadar, the British online publication, is dedicating an entire week to the celebration of World Photography Day 2021, which will conclude on August 21. Those passionate about photography can visit the website and read new features daily about improved techniques and how the field is shaping up. There is an abundance of interesting information.
Air New Zealand is organizing an “eye in the sky” competition, in which it searches for the most photogenic holiday photos of their passengers. Anyone interested in submitting their holiday photos can do so on Instagram using ‘#AirNZShareMe’. The airline chooses eight images shared between August 13 and 16. The photos are displayed on billboards in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Flickr, the US image and video hosting service, is also hosting a multi-category photo contest to mark the occasion. It says the contest offers people the opportunity to connect with a global audience through their photographers.
In addition to these photo contests, August 19 will also allow people with a passion for photography to come together and create awareness about the entire creative process and share their ideas and nuances of photography.
