写真家
shashinka[ɕa̠ɕĩŋka̠]
The English word photographer is translated into Japanese as 写真家 (shashinka). Wiktionary also lists 撮影者 (satsueisha) and 写真師 (shashinshi).
Meaning: one who takes photographs (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 写真家 | shashinka | [ɕa̠ɕĩŋka̠] (narrow) |
| 撮影者 | satsueisha | [sa̠t͡sɨe̞ːɕa̠] (narrow) |
| 写真師 | shashinshi |
Depending on the context, different words are used to describe a person who takes photographs.
Which one should you use?
写真家 is used for professional photographers or those with a high level of artistic skill. In contrast, 撮影者 is a more neutral, functional term for 'the person taking the photo/video' and is often used in technical or journalistic contexts to refer to the person behind the camera, regardless of their professional status. 写真師 is a more archaic or literary way to say photographer.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
写真師 is a literary term and is rarely used in everyday modern conversation. 撮影者 is a neutral term suitable for technical or journalistic documentation.
How do you pronounce it?
shashinka
Did you know?
- The word 写真 (shashin), meaning 'photograph', literally translates to 'copying the truth'.
- While 写真家 refers to an artist, a commercial photographer hired for a shoot is often called a カメラマン, which is a loanword from the English 'cameraman' regardless of the person's gender.
- The archaic 写真師 (shashinshi) uses the suffix 師 (shi), which is often used for teachers or masters of a craft, such as a 'doctor' or 'monk'.
Examples in context
- 私は写真師です。I'm a photographer.This sentence is useful for stating your profession using 写真師.Tatoeba #3456486 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #1890955 by CK
- 君は本当にいい写真家だ。You're a really good photographer.This sentence is useful for complimenting someone's skill as a 写真家.Tatoeba #7838829 by Ninja, translation #7836328 by CK
- トムは以前、フリーランスの写真家だった。Tom used to be a freelance photographer.This sentence is useful for describing someone's past profession as a 写真家.Tatoeba #8907507 by bunbuku, translation #7541896 by CK
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about Ren's hobby.
- 蓮 Ren将来は、有名な写真家になりたいです。Shourai wa, yuumeina shashinka ni naritai desu.I want to become a famous photographer in the future.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんは、とても素敵な写真家になれるよ。Ren-san wa, totemo sutekina shashinka ni nareru yo.Ren, you can become a wonderful photographer.
- 蓮 Renありがとう。練習を頑張るよ。Arigatou. Renshuu o ganbaru yo.Thank you. I will work hard on my practice.
- 陽葵 Himari応援しているね。Ouen shite iru ne.I'm rooting for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “photographer” translations and entries 写真家, 撮影者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 写真家, 撮影者, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
