I work in translation and need to find the most appropriate translation for a word that would be directly translated into English as a thing to be photographed.
An example of how I would use the word is as follows:
The device corrects the original image and generates a refocused
image in which the photographed [subject/object] is in focus.
I've been looking online and there doesn't seem to be much difference between these two words. See here, for example.
The only slight difference I've noticed is that subject seems to refer more to a living thing, but I would like some opinions.
Which sounds more natural to you? Do you think they have the same meaning?
Best Answer
The "subject" of a photograph can be anything; a person, animal, landscape, building, small object, large object, star, planet and so on. It is quite possible to photograph an "object" but that is to specify the subject matter in the same way as talking about landscape photography, portrait photography, photo microsopy or astronomical photography.
There is a possible bit of confusion as the business end of an optical device is often referred to as the "object lens" but this is using "object" in a way analagous to the object of a verb, not implying that there are specific lenses designed for photographing inanimate objects and nothing else.
You should use the most general term, which is "subject", particularly if the quotation comes from a patent document, which it looks as though it might do.