Do we ever stop to question why we take photographs? There are many reasons of course. Here are some of the main ones. Note that some photographs may span more than one category.

① To convey objective information − These may be the easiest type of photographs to take, because they are of the documentary type. This might include photographs of a dish to illustrate a recipe, or portray the architectural details of a vintage door, or even artistic differences between fire hydrants.

② To accurately reproduce natural or human-made objects or scenes − Not quiet the same a the documentary image, which is a clear interpretation of one specific thing. The reproductive image is more concerned with a general representation. A good example are landscapes.

③ To represent a memory of people, places or things − This type of photograph is focused more on emotion, to provide a sense of nostalgia of experiences past.

④ To embody a design or pattern − Some pictures are taken to describe some mathematical entity, or pattern. For example Fibonacci spirals in plants, perspectives of buildings, texture of bark on trees. Some of these are human-made, others natural, but design is always paramount.

⑤ To interpret the manner in which humans interact with their environments − An interpretive record of a segment of human life, and activity that is interesting. This could be things like travel, sports, historical experiences, etc.