It's Photography but is it Art?
It is very common to come across the terms "Photographic Art" and "Fine Art Photography" in reference to the work of renowned photographers who have created an individual style of photography that is popular and attractive. But what really turns a simple photograph into a piece of art? There have been many debates on this topic and the terms "Photographic Art" and "Fine Art Photography" have had many definitions but they remain poorly defined and difficult to categorise.
Photographers often like to describe their work as "art" and without doubt some of the work of photographers such as Tim Flach is truly beautiful, creative and entertaining. But to be considered art a piece must also engage the viewers mind as well as their eye – a piece must be thought provoking and continue to generate discussions and opinions over time. Many beautiful images hanging on walls now will, unfortunately, not hold the viewer's interest for more than a couple of years. Whereas true art continues to be a talking point for years to come.
It could be argued that a photographer could take a detailed picture of a flower, for example, and a traditional artist could paint that same flower in detail. But what a photographer cannot do that an artist can do with paint and other media is add depth, feeling and texture to the image. Compare the work of artist Jo Bunce with the photographer Mary Gaines. It is the sense of unreality that makes the painted images so much more appealing than the photographs.
As with all art there are works that blur the boundaries between categories and perhaps the most important lesson to remember when considering what can and cannot be classified as "art" is to be open-minded. Being open-minded and ready to change your opinions can lead to unexpected discoveries such as the BeckerHarrison collaboration where original photographic prints are overpainted with acrylic, gouache and even spray-paint to create compelling and sometimes disturbing images that photography alone could never do.
Of course, photo-editing software such as Adobe Photoshop can be used to create a myriad of effects that could never be achieved with a camera alone but in the case of the BeckerHarrison work the physical texture and sheen of the paint cannot be replicated with even the most advanced photo-editing software and it is these features that make their work stand out from other work created on a computer.
So photographic images can be classed as art and a definition of "Photographic Art" might be an artwork that began its life as a simple photograph but has been enhanced in some way (either on a computer or by hand) to create something more than just a captured moment that is pleasing to the eye however beautiful or, indeed, disturbing that moment might be. It is a work that entertains, delights or disturbs but most of all provokes thought or discussion and imparts to the viewer a message from the artist.
Questions and Answers
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People write to my website, johnfinleyphotographer.com to ask important questions for photographers. I specialize in Fine Art Giclee photographic prints and try to answer as many questions as possible. I was recently asked if photography should be considered art.
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"Leda And The Swan", by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of history's great art losses. From the surviving copies we can see its beauty, the masterly composition, and the complex emblematic symbolism. Leonardo went beyond the sexual act portrayed until then about this mythic story. The great popularity of this subject in the sixteenth century was due to the fact that it was then more acceptable to depict a woman having an act of copulation with an animal than with a man.
Art Reproduction tend to be terrific concept for decorating as they'll immediately provide beauty, add color and can enhance the actual overlook associated with home, office or even library whilst admire the very best quality duplication of unique artwork.
Oil paintings comes in all shapes and sizes and generally based on a variety of themes that appeal to all tastes. For oil painting, different painting materials are used like canvas and cardboard. Original oil paintings are most valuable art among other existing art, out of them some are valued at millions of dollars.
Does knowing what inspired an artist to paint a particular picture enhance the enjoyment and appreciation of the viewer? Or can an artwork simply appeal in a visually aesthetic sense?
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Are there any advantages to buying a Modern Art Print that may be produced in its thousands or tens of thousands? How can you be sure it is good-quality and how many other people will have the same picture hanging on their walls?
Digitally-produced or enhanced artworks can certainly be creative, exciting and beautiful to look at. But there continues to be debate and controversy over whether "digital art" should be classified as art. Is manipulating a piece of computer software on a screen a comparable skill to that of manipulating paint and other media on canvas or paper?
If you are serious about owning great art and looking for something unique that appeals to your emotions and human instincts, then an original work of art has no equal. The satisfaction of owning an individual piece of art created as a dialogue between the artist and viewer is unsurpassable. There is simply no alternative to an original work of art.
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