"Photograph" is a song recorded by the English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran, for his second studio album, × (2014). Sheeran wrote the song with Snow Patrol member, Johnny McDaid, who had a piano loop from which the composition developed. After recording several versions with other producers, Sheeran eventually solicited help from Jeff Bhasker; the collaboration generated a version that Bhasker further enhanced for months. The ballad derives its music primarily from an acoustic guitar, piano and programmed drums. 

PHOTOGRAPH
Source(s):
https://www.lyricinterpretations.com
https://www.lyricsmode.com

Loving someone can hurt and it could get really complicated. And we know how arduous it can get and sometimes, it is the only thing that makes us feel alive because loving can also mean pain. And sometimes, pain is all what we have to remind us that we're still alive. Pain reminds us that we're not dead yet since we feel something, we feel pain.

No matter where she goes, he will always be there with her in this photograph because the happiness and love that is shown is still the same. She wont ever be alone even if he isn't with her he is still there in spirit and mind.

Meaning:

We keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Our hearts were never broken
Times forever frozen still

So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
And if you hurt me
That's OK, baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go

Meaning:

No matter how far apart they are, he will remember all the little things about her and how she kissed him. He remembers the way she talks to him on the phone and wants her to wait for him to come home.

Overall Meaning:

There are some arguments regarding to this song's meaning. One said that this song is obviously about a person being away from his or her partner. And so he/she asks their significant other to hold on to their photograph which potrays a perfect scenario and wait for him or her to come home.

What's really beautiful about this song is the fact that Ed chooses to show two sides of love. One which can hurt and the other which can heal. He pictures it as a paradox but even though it has a negative side it still is the one and only true thing which a person can have forever. 

But another said, this song isn't just about mending a relationship with your partner, it's more about restoring the relationship with your family, more specifically Ed and his mother. Now looking at it, "Loving can hurt" seems to come from the Mother's or caretaker's point of view, because taking responsibility for a child can be frustrating and difficult, but also rewarding and Ed is spot on when he says, "you know it can get hard sometime." The the Pre-Chorus, "we keep this love in a photograph..." describes all the memories they've made, then the Chorus comes in. In the Chorus, "So you can keep me..." relates to when Ed decided to leave home and pursue music full time, and (now I'm assuming), his mother must have given him a photograph of the family to always have before he left, hoping that one day their "eyes" will "meet" again. Until then, Ed just thinks "wait for me to come home."