IELTS Speaking Photography (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
How would you answer these IELTS speaking questions about cameras, professional photographers and the media?
IELTS Speaking Photography - Part 1
Do you like taking photos?
Yes, quite a lot actually. I wouldn't call myself a serious photographer by any means, but I do reach for my phone almost instinctively whenever I see something that catches my eye — an interesting light, a street scene, that kind of thing. It started when I got my first smartphone a few years back, and since then it's just become a natural part of how I experience things. I suppose I like having a visual record of moments, even ordinary ones.
What kinds of things do you most often take photos of?
Mostly food and places, if I'm honest — which I know is very typical. Whenever I travel somewhere new or try a restaurant I haven't been to before, I almost always take a few shots. But I also really enjoy photographing architecture. I live in a city with a mix of old and modern buildings, and I find there's something endlessly interesting about the way structures look at different times of day, especially in the early morning when the light is quite soft and there aren't many people around yet.
Do you prefer taking photos with your phone or a camera?
Definitely my phone for everyday stuff — it's always with me, and the cameras on modern smartphones are genuinely impressive now. But I borrowed a friend's DSLR camera for a trip last year, and the difference in quality was noticeable, especially for outdoor shots. There's also something about the process of using a proper camera that makes you slow down and think more carefully about what you're actually trying to capture. I've thought about buying one, but to be honest I'm not sure I'd use it enough to justify the cost.
Do you take more photos now than you used to?
Oh, definitely — there's no comparison really. When I was younger, we used a film camera at home, and because each roll only had about 24 shots, everyone was quite selective about what they photographed. Now with a phone, there's essentially no limit, so I think people — myself included — just take photos constantly without really thinking about it. Whether that means the photos are better or more meaningful is a different question. If anything, I'd say I take more but appreciate them less individually.
Do you ever look back at old photos?
Yes, more than I probably should — it can be quite a time sink. My phone has this feature where it shows you memories from a year or two ago, and I often find myself scrolling through those when I'm not doing anything in particular. I think old photos are interesting because they remind you of things you'd completely forgotten, not just the big events but small details — what a place looked like, what someone was wearing. Those kinds of things tend to disappear from memory quite quickly otherwise.
Do you share your photos on social media?
Sometimes, but I'm actually quite selective about it compared to a lot of people I know. I don't really post every meal or every outing — I find that a bit exhausting, to be honest. If I've taken a photo I'm genuinely happy with, maybe something from a trip or a particularly nice sunset, I might share it. But I'm also quite aware that there's a difference between taking a photo because you want to remember something and taking a photo purely for other people to see. I try to stay on the right side of that line, though I don't always manage it.
Has photography become more or less important to you over time?
I'd say more important, in a way that's slightly surprised me. I used to think of it as something other people did — like a hobby that required skill and equipment I didn't have. But as phone cameras have improved, I've found myself genuinely interested in things like composition and lighting, even if just at a basic level. I've watched a few videos about photography techniques and I've started thinking more consciously about framing a shot rather than just pointing and pressing. It's a slow progression, but it feels like a real interest developing rather than just a habit.
Do you think it's important to print photos, or is keeping them digitally enough?
That's something I actually think about quite a bit. Digitally is so much more convenient, and practically speaking, most people store thousands of photos that would be completely impractical to print. But there's something a bit fragile about digital storage too — hard drives fail, cloud services change, formats become obsolete. I have a few printed photos from my childhood that feel much more permanent than anything on my phone does. I think printing special ones — important family moments, things like that — is still worth doing, even if you don't print everything.
Have you ever taken a photo you were really proud of?
Yes, one comes to mind immediately actually. I was visiting a coastal town a couple of years ago, and very early one morning I went for a walk and the fog was still quite low over the water. I took a photo of a small boat half-hidden in the mist, and the light was this strange pale gold colour. It came out better than I expected — my friends said it looked almost professional, which I'm sure was an exaggeration, but it was nice to hear. I still use it as my phone wallpaper, which I suppose is the most honest indication of how I feel about it.
Do you think people pay enough attention to the photos they take, or do they take too many without thinking?
Honestly, I think it's a bit of both — and I include myself in this. The ease of taking photos now means people document almost everything, but there's a real question about whether any of it gets properly looked at or appreciated afterwards. I've read that the average person takes more photos in a year than a professional photographer would have taken in a lifetime a hundred years ago, which is a staggering thought. I think the value of a photo comes partly from its scarcity, so when everything is photographed, individual images start to matter less. That said, I don't think the answer is to take fewer photos — just maybe to be a little more intentional about it.
IELTS Speaking Photography - Part 2
Talk about a family photograph you like
You should say:- who took the photograph
- who is in the photograph
- why you like this photograph
Sample Answer
I'll tell you about a family photograph I like very much, which is a photo of my family, my parents, my brother, and three sisters. It was taken by my uncle when I was still a small girl. We went on a family excursion to various places in Nepal.
The photograph was taken in a place called Butterfly Valley, and it is a group photo. In the background, you can see a spectacular waterfall. We were all much younger then, but I can remember it was a happy time for my family and a really special trip we took together.
Whenever I feel sad, I like to look at this photo because it always reminds me of my beautiful family, how happy we all were, and how lucky we are to have the many blessing we have in our lives. I would like to return there someday and visit that special place again.
I have a copy of the photo which I keep in my room, but we also have a larger version of it framed and hung on the wall in the main social room of our house. Whenever I'm feeling down or overwhelmed by life, I like to go and look at it. It helps me remember how lucky we are and that there is always hope for a better future. Even when times get tough, I know that I can rely on the support of my family and the special memories we shared together in the past. That's why this photo is so important to me.
No matter how far away I might be, that place will always hold a special place in my heart, and it's a reminder of the happiness and love we have shared over the years. Whenever I look at it, I'm reminded of the importance of cherishing what we have and making sure our loved ones know how much we care about them.
And so that's a family photograph I like very much and always will.
Follow-Up question: What is your favorite family photo?
My favorite family photo is one from my first trip to Scotland with my parents. We had just hiked up the side of a mountain and were standing on top, looking out over the beautiful landscape below us.
The sun was setting behind us, casting a soft golden light on the rolling hills and valleys. Everyone in the picture had such big smiles on their faces as if we could feel how special that moment was and wanted to capture it forever.
It's one of those moments that I'll never forget; a reminder that no matter what happens, our little family will always stick together. It's truly one of my most treasured memories!
IELTS Speaking Photography - Part 3
Discussion Questions
Is it really necessary to have a camera in your mobile phone? Why?
Yes, I think it is nowadays. There are so many apps and platforms where you can video chat with your friends and it's also really useful.
For example, if you have an accident in your car you can take photos of the scene to show what happened.
Because so many people are using their smartphones to access the internet, having a camera as part of your phone makes sense.
Is it a better idea to have a camera separately? Why?
No, I don't think so, unless you are a serious photographer.
It's just something else to carry around with you, and you can lose it or leave it somewhere if you're not careful.
I think it's much more convenient to have a camera in your phone.
If you do photography as a hobby then it makes sense to have a professional camera because the quality is better and you can do more things with it.
But if you just want to take photos of your friends and things that happen, then a camera phone is normally good enough.
Is it better to look at your photos on screen or in albums in your view?
I think it's almost the same if you want to show your friends who are with you some photos you have to pass them the album or pass them your phone so they can see the photos.
The big advantage of a camera phone is you can post your photos to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and share them with everybody easily... they don't need to be beside you to see your photos.
Is it really necessary to have professional photographers in the media? Why?
Yes, because not everyone is very good at taking photos.
Photography is a skill and so a professional photographer will always be able to take better or more interesting pictures than an amateur.
And professional photographers get paid to take photos of many different things, not just their friends, family or places they visit.
They sometimes have to travel and research the things they photograph so that's why they get paid.
Do you think that some pictures in the media are taken by amateurs?
It's possible, I suppose, if a person just happens to be in a certain location when something happens then they may be the only person who takes a photo of the event so the picture appears in the media.
We've seen examples of that when natural disasters happen or even when a particular celebrity appears someplace and someone who is not paparazzi or a professional photographer happens to take a photo or make a short video of whatever or whoever it was.
Discussion Questions
Have people become obsessed about taking selfies?
Yes. In fact, this was the third most popular activity on the planet in 2025, after watching YouTube videos and checking messages.
So one thing to keep in mind is that you need to be in a safe location where nobody will accidentally bump into your position while you're taking a selfie (think dangerous cliff edge, busy street).
While selfies are now as common as cigarettes used to be, two-thirds of all selfies posted have been uploaded by women.
This could mean there's more pressure for women on social media websites like Facebook or Instagram than there is for men.
People have become obsessed with taking selfies. Another example is that the average teen now spends 450 minutes a day passively scrolling through social media and clicking on stuff - most of which are selfies.
The reason? We're often looking for recognition or validation from other people to make ourselves feel good about ourselves.
There's also lots of advice and tips out there to encourage this behavior, like fixing your hair before taking a selfie, using flash in dim areas, using reference images to get more natural poses (like putting your hand behind your head), turning yourself sideways for profile pictures instead of being front and center, and so on.
On average, how many pictures do you take a day/week/month?
On average, I take about 100 photos a day.
I take this many because I enjoy visual documentation of what my life is like, for myself and the memories might hold with others who come across them as a snapshot through their phone or computer screen years from now.
One tip I use is to keep my camera pointed upwards at all times to capture those beautiful skies and get that aerial perspective when walking along!
Have you ever hired a professional photographer? What was the occasion?
Yes, for our wedding. We hired a photographer because we didn't want to get stuck seeing photos of our happy day through the lens of a phone's camera or tablet's camera.
One thing that's great about hiring a professional photographer is how they know what they're doing with lighting and angles.
They have more than one camera, which can help taking candid shots, so you don't get too many blurry ones where someone is walking in front of the subject or missed an entire expression due to timing issues.
It was important to us also that someone not only be there to document our wedding but also be in charge of layouts and approving all edits before anything went out into the world on social media channels.
Is there anything you don't like about the media coverage in your country?
Only the reason why they keep going on about how the President is incompetent. It's not like he spends hours broadcasting his own thoughts to Twitter. What a waste of time!
But seriously, there are things I don't like about the media coverage in my country. It's too competitive and it doesn't do a very good job at educating people on what life would be like without it (which is probably for the best given we're living in the digital age).
But overall, I think it does an okay job compared to most other countries that have news monopolies or state-run media.
But I do like the idea of people having their own independent thoughts and opinions about issues, even if they are unpopular.
Being truly open-minded about different perspectives is something few people today do. We've become complacent with current norms and refuse to explore anything outside our comfort zone.
Call it ignorance. You know what they say: "Ignorance is bliss".
Is photography popular in your country?
In my country, photography is very popular. People of all ages are picking up cameras and snapping away. Whether it is professionals capturing stunning images for awards or just a hobbyist taking photos of their family and friends, the art of photography is alive and thriving in our culture.
We have an abundance of epic, uplifting natural landscapes to capture as well as rich cultural scenes that make for great photographic opportunities.
Technology has also made it easier than ever to take amazing pictures with simple point-and-shoot digital cameras and smartphones.
This makes photography accessible to anyone who wants to try their hand at it - allowing us all to create beautiful memories that we can treasure forever.
What type of photos do you like taking?
I love taking photos that capture moments in time, especially of people and places. I enjoy capturing the beauty of nature and its inhabitants in my photographs.
I'm also a fan of documentary-style photography, which allows me to capture real stories and tell a story through my images. From urban cityscapes to tranquil landscapes, I take great pleasure in getting creative with my photography skills.
Aside from traditional photos, I have recently taken up digital artistry as well. With this type of photography, I can explore new ways to combine visuals to create something unique and beautiful. It's been an exciting journey learning the different techniques used to bring these works of art to life.
Do you like people taking photos of you?
No, I don't really like having my photo taken. It always feels a little awkward to me, like I'm being judged or stared at. Plus, I get really self-conscious about how I look in photos. So usually when someone points a camera in my direction, my first instinct is to turn away and hide.
In your opinion, what elements make a good photograph?
I think it's important that the content of the photo is interesting, or if it's of people, then they are all happy and well positioned. The color and lighting can also affect how good a photo is.
The best photos I have seen seem to manage to capture the 'feeling' of the moment or the spirit of the place where it was taken. So composition, lighting, focus and locationcan be very important.
Do you think photography is a form of art?
Is photography art? Yes, there are some famous photographers in the world, and some photographs are certainly very beautiful to look at. Like painting and sculpting, photography can be a very interesting way of expressing things, or capturing a special moment or place forever.
Do people in your country attend photography classes?
I'm not sure. I don't have any friends who go to photography classes or do a photography course, but there are schools or colleges for art and fashion here in Nepal so I suppose that quite a lot of people must be interested in photography and maybe study it or learn more about it than just taking snapshots of their family.
Do you like to hang photographs on the walls of your home?
Yes, but it's my mother who organizes them all. She loves to choose the photographs and where exactly to hang them.
You could call it her hobby. We are quite a large family and most of the photographs are of family members, cousins, nieces and nephews and so she always has a new photo which she wants to show everyone.