Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Is Photography Art?


I've been reflecting lately on art and how nature photographers may or may not identify themselves as artists. This took some time, but I believe I can honestly say that when I make a photograph, I am creating art.  If you are a photographer, ask yourself, "Am I an artist?" Read on and let's walk down that road together and answer that timeless question, "Is Photography Art?".

I found a Huffington Post article titled" "10 Powerful Responses to What is Art?". As I read through each response, it is quite evident that art is individually defined. But as I read them, several resonated.

"Art is something you invest YOURSELF in as a means to communicate." Christian Villanueva, Disney Performer; YouTube Artist.

Consider the amount of time and effort you put into taking a shot. And for what reason? Think about how often you return to a location or the hundreds of photos you shot just to capture a specific subject before you finally achieved your vision. Think about all the time and effort that goes into learning techniques or studying other's photographs or paintings so that you can make a photograph. If that isn't art, what is?



"Art is work. Not only is it my job (lucky!), but being an artist requires a lot of work." Frank Albinder, Grammy award winning conductor.

Creating art, no matter what the form, is not easy. No artist would ever say it is. I work at creating an image and I work hard at improving. Motivation, dedication with a touch of obsession is what drives photography as an art form. It isn't about the equipment and owning the latest and greatest camera. It's about the images we create. If anticipation for the next photo shoot makes you lose sleep, you may very well be an artist!



"It's about sharing the way we experience the world, which for many is an extension of personality." Wm. Joseph Neiters

I love this quote because this gets to the answer of why we take photographs in the first place. Your photographs are an extension of your experiences. For me, it is about being in the wilderness. My photography grew organically from my canoe trips into the Everglades; no one handed me a camera. My wilderness experiences are embedded in my photography. Whatever it is that inspires you to take photographs, it all starts from within and your connection to your subject, regardless of how you acquired a camera. No one is telling you that you have to take photographs; you're telling yourself that.



"The fundamental difference between art and beauty is that art is about who has produced it, whereas beauty depends on who's looking." Chiara Leonardi

When it comes down to it, we take a photograph for our own sake, not for someone else's (ideally!). We want to capture that moment because it speaks to us, and then we try to create art out of it. A bonus is when a complete stranger who doesn't know you from Adam looks at your photograph and sees beauty or something that speaks to them. It doesn't matter that it is a photograph or a painting or whatever, they just like it. The fact that someone enjoys a photograph we created from the heart is simply a bonus.

So, is photography art? A simple question with a simple answer; YES.