There is a constant debate whether or not photography can be considered art. Some people say it is undoubtedly a form of art, but others argue that it is in fact science because of the techniques and equipment it uses. A fair definition would probably involve both the term "art" and the term "science". The truth is that photography gained the interest of both artists and scientists ever since it was discovered. The first ones saw the opportunity of transposing images into reality while the others used photography to record and document various scientific discoveries. In modern times, thanks to the internet, photography has become very popular. The large availability of cameras has made it possible for everyone to take photos. Under such circumstances, a new debate has come up: can popular photographyonline be considered art?

The internet is indeed flooded with photos of all types. Almost anyone has a camera nowadays and people take pictures of everything: places they visit, pets, family members, objects, etc. It somehow makes sense because photography is an excellent manner to preserve memories. Considering all these aspects, numerous famous photographers argue that photography is not art anymore. If it would be still considered art, it would mean that everybody who owns a camera could be considered an artist.

It is probably difficult to settle such a debate. You can't actually say that great pictures taken by famous photographers can be considered works of art while ordinary photos that each of us takes in our free time are not art. It would be difficult to decide what makes a photographer famous and a picture great. More than that, it is not uncommon for new photographers to actually get lucky and take spectacular shots.

Since it would be a while until a consensus would be reached, one thing is for sure: popular photography online has indeed made photography easily available for the masses. Anyone can admire pictures from various fields of interest and everybody can upload his or hers work online in order to be admired and/or criticized. More than that, the internet also provides access to a lot of information on photography and everybody can learn how to take better pictures and how to be a better photographer.

Art or not, photography was definitely made very popular by the internet. Stories of famous photographers who have made a lot of money out of their work are very popular also. Even beginner photographers ask themselves whether or not they could make some money out of their hobby. The truth is that it can be pretty difficult to sell photos if you are a newbie. However, entering an online photography contest can turn out pretty lucrative. First of all, the photographer has the chance to see if his or hers work is criticized or admired. Secondly, the prizes can be very attractive.

There are plenty of photo contests online, both for amateur and professional photographers. All those who want to join them have to make sure these are indeed legit. It is best to only join free online photography contests. Organizers should never ask the participants for money and should also be very clear in what concerns the rules and regulations.