Wikipedians at Wikipedia Photowalk, Chittagong (05)

Photowalking is a communal activity of

camera A camera is an Optics, optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), ...

enthusiasts who gather in a group to walk around with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things that interest them. The word is sometimes used incorrectly in the marketing title of a photography class or workshop. Although the term implies the single activity of taking pictures while walking, the more modern use of the term specifically relates to a communal activity of camera enthusiasts. The activity is typically organized by camera clubs, ad hoc gatherings from online forums such as

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, or sponsored by commercial organizations or photographers such as the

Scott Kelby Scott Kelby (born July 7, 1960) is an American photographer and an author and publisher of periodicals dealing with photography and Adobe Photoshop software, for design professionals, photographers, and artists. Photography career Kelby is ed ...

's yearly Worldwide Photowalk, and the now-canceled yearly 500px Global Photowalk.

Photowalks vs street photography

Photowalking is sometimes compared to

street photography Street photography (also sometimes called candid photography) is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places. Although there is a difference between street and ca ...

, a type of documentary photography activity. However, although a person participating in a photowalk may practice street photography, they are not limited to that scope; they may also practice Macro photography,

Architectural photography Architectural photography is the sub genre of the photography discipline where the primary emphasis is made to capturing photographs of buildings and similar architectural structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and accurate in terms of re ...

Nature photography Nature photography is a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures. Nature photography tends to put a stronger emphasis o ...

, etc. Also, street photography is typically an activity practiced as an individual photographer rather than in a group.

History

The activity of walking and photographing with a group of other photographers dates back more than 100 years. An early example of photography clubs is

The Camera Club of New York Since 1884, The Camera Club of New York has been a forum to explore photography. Though the Club was created by well-to-do 'gentlemen' photography enthusiasts seeking a refuge from the mass popularization of the medium in the 1880s, it accepted i ...

, established in 1884. The

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

Company of New York launched the Brownie camera in 1900. The camera sold for $1 and put photography in the hands of the average consumer. As photography became part of people's daily lives, photography clubs such as societies and associations, proliferated around the world to support this emerging technology. Adding to the confusion is that "photo walk" and "photowalk" are used interchangeably.

, one of the most well-known photowalking event leaders, has used both forms of the word since 2007.

Social and cultural implications

Because it is so tightly coupled with the social aspect of group photography, photowalking can have benefits other than just exercise and photography practice. For example, in some situations, there is safety in numbers and the photography experience can be more enjoyable in a group. Without tight controls and good organization, events can get out of control and in some cases involve the police. Many photowalk organizations also participate in charities. Since 2008,

's Worldwide Photo Walk has sponsored the Springs Of Hope Orphanage in Kenya. Other organizations donate money to the locations or museums they visit.

References

{{Reflist Photography by genre 2000s neologisms Walking