From Viewfinder to Print: Celebrating World Photography Day | David 'dp' Attard

David 'dp' Attard is a former deputy commander of the Armed Forces of Malta and a member of the Malta Photographic Society

Each year on August 19, photographers and visual artists around the world unite to celebrate World Photography Day.  A day that reminds us of the power of photography as both a tool and an art form. While photography was originally conceived as a way to record reality at a particular moment in time, its essence today extends far beyond simple documentation.

Artistic photography is the act of seeing, interpreting and creating. Like any other artist, a photographer composes a frame to express a concept, an emotion, or a perspective. This creative process involves a series of deliberate choices. From choice of subject matter, viewpoint, and interplay of light and shadow, to  focus, framing and timing.

This year, the Malta Photographic Society, a longstanding champion of photographic art on the Maltese Islands, is once again marking this occasion with a special exhibition titled From Viewfinder To Print.

Founded in 1961, the Malta Photographic Society has been the cornerstone of Malta’s photographic community for over six decades. Dedicated to supporting both amateur and professional photographers, the Society actively promotes photography as a dynamic and expressive medium. Beyond curating exhibition such as this, it plays a key role in the education and artistic development of many a photographer through weekly lectures, courses, workshops, photo walks and mentorship programmes. Activities that are all intended to foster a vibrant and evolving creative photographic community.

To commemorate World Photography Day, the Society is this year and for the third year running, presenting a curated exhibition showcasing the best work of no less than 47 individual members. This exhibition features a rich variety of subject matter and styles ranging from minimalist compositions and still-life studies to street photography, expressive portraiture and abstract visual storytelling. Each exhibited print reflects the individual photographer’s unique vision and personal interpretation of the world around us. In an age saturated with images, what distinguishes true  photographic art is not just clarity, but vision.

Fittingly, the exhibition is being held at the historic Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, formerly the baroque residence of the Chaplains of the Knights of St John, located adjacent to the Basilica of St. Paul. The venue adds a sense of heritage and gravitas to this collective photographic exhibition. An exhibition that captures the journey of each image from the initial spark of inspiration behind the viewfinder to the final printed work hung on the Museum wall.

The Malta Photographic Society invites the general public to experience this celebration of photographic art. The exhibition is open until Sunday 31 August 2025.  The opening hours are  Monday to Sunday from 9:30am to 5pm. Last admission is at 4pm. Admission to view the photo exhibition is free of charge.