The article concerns the most important aspects of the concept of performativity and reveal how they relate to the understanding of contemporary photography. Close attention is paid to performative principles of identity construction in everyday life and the ways it is represented and influenced by the media of photography. This interdisciplinary analysis is based on the notion of performative identity as defined in feminist and social theories, as well as on the postmodern interpretation of visual representation. Such a theoretical background opens up the possibilities of critical examination of the photographic media and contemporary (art) photography.