Praise be to Allah.
We have already discussed the ruling on making photographic images with a camera. You can refer to questions nos. 13633, 10668, 7918.
With regard to the question of whether making pictures is shirk:
The answer is that it is not shirk, but it may be a means that leads to shirk or associating others with Allah, especially if the picture is of someone who is venerated by the people, such as scholars, righteous people and rulers. The first case of shirk among mankind was through images and statues. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, concerning the verse in which Allah says of the people of Nooh (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya‘ooq nor Nasr’ (these are the names of their idols)”
[Nooh 71:23]
– These were the names of righteous men among the people of Nooh; when they died, the Shaytaan inspired their people to set up stone altars in the places where they used to sit, and call them by their names. So they did that, but they were not worshipped until those people died and knowledge was lost, then they were worshipped.
Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4920.
We have already discussed this matter in detail. See Question no. 7222.
And Allah knows best.
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