photographic
gb/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk/ us/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk/
B2
English
~ 6800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
relating to photography or photos
About the work, tools, or process of making photos.
Usage pattern:
photographic [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'photographic' with 'photogenic'. 'Photographic' usually describes things related to making photos (photographic equipment, photographic paper), while 'photogenic' describes people or things that look good in photos. Another mistake is using the incorrect form *'photographical'*; the correct adjective is 'photographic'.
Synonyms
photo (Often used before a noun in a similar way, as in 'photo studio', but is less formal and slightly less general than 'photographic'.)
Antonyms
non-photographic (Describes materials, media, or processes that do not involve photography at all.)
Collocations
photographic equipment
|photographic studio
|photographic film
|photographic paper
|photographic process
|photographic technique
Themes
art
|technology
|media
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She runs a small photographic studio that specializes in family portraits.
- The museum has an exhibition of early photographic equipment.
- He took a course in photographic lighting to improve his portraits.
- These images were created using a traditional photographic process, not a digital one.
- The company supplies photographic paper to professional photo labs.
Learner examples
- He bought new photographic equipment for his camera.
- She wants to work in the photographic industry.
- This book explains basic photographic techniques.
- I joined a photographic club at my school.
- The shop sells many kinds of photographic film.
adjective
C1
property
2
having extremely exact memory
Having a very strong memory that keeps pictures and details in the mind like photos.
Usage pattern:
photographic [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *'He is photographic'* to mean he has an excellent memory, but this sounds wrong. You should say 'He has a photographic memory' or 'Her memory is almost photographic.' Another confusion is thinking 'photographic memory' is always literal, like a camera; in everyday speech it is often used loosely to mean 'very, very good memory.'
Synonyms
eidetic (A more technical and much less common term, mainly used in psychology, with a similar meaning of extremely detailed visual memory.)
Antonyms
poor memory (Describes someone who forgets things easily, the opposite of having a very exact, detailed memory.)
Collocations
photographic memory
|photographic recall
|almost photographic memory
|virtually photographic
|near-photographic memory
Themes
cognition
|education
|psychology
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She seems to have a photographic memory and can quote whole pages from the book.
- Thanks to his almost photographic memory, he remembered every slide from the presentation.
- Witnesses with photographic recall are rare and often surprising to lawyers.
- As a child, he had a near-photographic memory for road maps.
- Her photographic memory helped her learn new languages quickly.
Learner examples
- My friend has a photographic memory and remembers every detail.
- People say he has an almost photographic memory for faces.
- She used her photographic memory to pass the exam.
- With his photographic memory, he can remember long numbers.
- Not many people truly have a photographic memory.
adjective
C1
property
3
extremely realistic, like a photo
Looking very real and detailed, almost like a photo.
Usage pattern:
photographic [noun]
Synonyms
lifelike (Describes something that looks very real; 'photographic' suggests a very high, almost camera-like level of realism.)
Antonyms
stylized (Describes art that is clearly not realistic, often with exaggerated or simplified forms, which contrasts with 'photographic' realism.)
Collocations
photographic realism
|photographic quality
|almost photographic
|photographic likeness
Themes
art
|media
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The artist is known for his photographic realism in oil paintings.
- The game’s graphics have an almost photographic quality.
- Her drawing is so photographic that it could be mistaken for a real photo.
- The model was rendered with photographic detail and texture.
- Critics praised the film for its photographic portrayal of the city.
Learner examples
- The painting has a photographic look.
- These images are very photographic and real.
- The movie uses special effects to create a photographic world.
- His art is almost photographic in detail.
- The scene has photographic realism.
Grammar
Dictionary form
photographic
IPA
GB/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk/
US/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk/
Syllables & stress
pho - to - graph - ic (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (graph)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: photographic
Word family
Core family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unphotogenic
adjective
Expressions
in photographic detail
1/ˈɪn fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk dˈiteɪl/
fixed phrase
with extremely fine detail
Describing or remembering something with many very small, clear details, like a photo.
Examples
- He described the accident in photographic detail to the police.
- The documentary shows the process in photographic detail, step by step.
- She could remember the room in photographic detail, down to the pattern on the curtains.
photographic evidence
1/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk ˈɛvədəns/
fixed phrase
evidence shown in photos
Photos that are used as proof that something did or did not happen.
Examples
- The lawyer presented photographic evidence to support the witness’s story.
- Without photographic evidence, it was hard to prove who caused the damage.
- Police are asking the public for any photographic evidence from the night of the attack.
photographic realism
1/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase
art that looks like a photo
A way of painting, drawing, or making images so that they look almost exactly like real photos.
Examples
- The artist is famous for his photographic realism in portraits.
- Modern video games often aim for photographic realism in their graphics.
- Her work moved away from photographic realism toward a more abstract style.
photographic record
1/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk ɹˈɛkɚd/
fixed phrase
set of photos documenting something
A set of photos that shows and records how something looked or what happened over time.
Examples
- The book provides a photographic record of the city before the war.
- Scientists kept a photographic record of the glacier’s gradual retreat.
- She created a photographic record of her children growing up.
photographic memory
1/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk mˈɛmɚi/
fixed phrase
exceptionally detailed visual memory
The ability to remember things you see with very great detail, as if you took a photo in your mind.
Examples
- People say she has a photographic memory because she never forgets a face.
- A photographic memory can be helpful in law school, but it is very rare.
- He relied on his photographic memory to recall the exact layout of the crime scene.
photographic memory
2/fˌoʊtəɡɹˈæfɪk mˈɛmɚi/
fixed phrase
Ability to remember images exactly
When someone can remember things they see very clearly, like looking at a photo in their mind.
Examples
- She has a photographic memory and can recall every page of the book.
- People with photographic memory can remember faces after many years.