While not universal, a huge part of photography is about people. Sure, there are genres of photography that aren’t like landscapes, architecture, products, and certain realms of abstract or “fine art” photography. But photographs of people are an incredibly important element within the overall fabric of photography.

Many of the most impactful images throughout the history of photography have been of people. We can all immediately think of images that tell the stories of war-torn nations or show the struggles of the working class. We’ve all seen those portraits where we are drawn in by the masterful skill of the photographer and immediately connect with someone whose story we’ve not heard before.

On the other end of the spectrum, we see images of people that are full of glamour and style or that live a lifestyle that we are dreaming of. These are images that make us want to reimagine our own lives and change the way we live on a day to day basis.

And most important of all, we surround ourselves with pictures of those we love. We take pictures of our kids so that we can freeze that moment in time. We take selfies with our lovers in order to capture that closeness forever. We use pictures to memorialize and remember loved ones that are no longer with us.

• Category People