Is photography art? This has been a question since the invention of the camera.
And for most people, the answer to that question is no. After all, you are only documenting what is in front of you. It takes no skill, unlike traditional painters who spend days, weeks, even, on a single picture.
But the truth is, there are a lot of things that go into one single picture. First, you spend days, weeks, even, searching for the perfect subject and background. Then once you find it, you puzzle over what ISO to use, how big your aperture should be, how quick the shutter speed is. Should you center it? Use the Rule of Thirds? What vantage point? Zooming in? What to focus on? Then comes the editing stage. Should you make it monochrome (black and white)? What effects should you put on it? Should you apply any effects at all?
It is because of these questions and different responses to those questions that photographers have different styles. The photo above was made by Jerry Uelsmann. He's famous for using photomerge techniques to combine photographs in a way that make them seem unreal, straight out of a fantasy book. He did not use Photoshop actually, and labored for days, weeks, even, in the darkroom. Henri Cartier-Bresson is one of my favourite photographers. His black and white photos are of every day life, yet are still aesthetically pleasing and make you curious about the story behind each and every person. Because of different photographers' styles, you could put 20 photographers in a room with an apple, and never get two identical photos.
The definition of art is, "The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Photography definitely fits that bill. Does "Push" by Pete Turner not make you feel lonely, despite its child-like simplicity? A great photographer will not only have a pretty picture, but also make you feel something with their work.
I hope I brought up some interesting points in this chapter. If you disagree, feel free to put your argument in the comments! I love hearing other people's different opinions and points of view.
ItsJennDockery I know you're also a drawer and a photographer. What's your answer to the question, "Is photography art?"
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My Photography Book
RandomI suck at drawing, but I'm okay at photos. So why not? This book is going to be mostly nature, with maybe a few objects. No people at all. P.S. I took the photo on the cover myself. P.P.S. This is what Cindy from the Time Show does in her spare...
