Photography as Art…

Since when have we gotten away from the idea of photography as art? I understand that various genres of photography may at times become more commercial or product related than art related. But, more and more, I’m hearing people criticizing a photo for the wrong reasons. Like it’s actually against the rules to have a photo which is blown out in areas…. Or false colors negate the photo as a ‘real’ photograph.

Who decides the rules in this?

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I mean seriously… it’s amazing how many photographers degrade to 5th grade antics again the second they spot a photo which fits into a different genre or has been processed differently than what they are used to, or for that matter, what their preference is.

There IS a place for criticism in this. There has to be a place for that. But constructive criticism… And as for where rules play a part in this? There are rules in everything… even art. But, a professor of mine used to always say, “Rules are meant for breaking, you have to know the rules to break them, and your photo will almost always be stronger if you knowingly purposefully break the rule.” composition etc. (For instance, the rule of thirds is a widely accepted ‘rule’ applying both to photography and art in general. However, in the right situations, a photo perfectly centered in composition will easily be the better of two photos of the same scene even if the other is composed strictly adhering to the rule of thirds)

I’ve been noticing and stewing over this subject for quite some time… and, as I have been patiently waiting for my in-elloquent writings to somehow become something more, I’ve realized this is a personal call-out too. Sometimes the things which bother me most, bother me because of the fact that I know I do them also.

I was recently challenged by another photographer’s blog which compared the constant importance we place on equipment or processing as the most beneficial avenue for a ‘good’ photograph to classical painters. It was absolutely bizarre to hear him describe a hypothetical situation where one of the great classical painters of our age is answering more questions about the ‘equipment’ he used to create his paintings than the reason or message fueling the work itself.

We have gotten off track. Or at least I have. I may not appreciate or aspire to some of the photography I come across through Tumblr or Flickr. However what gives me or anyone else for that matter, the right to deem someones photo as ‘not photography because it’s not straight out of camera’ or ‘cheating, because it’s a combination of multiple images’ or ‘unethical, because it isn’t a perfectly accurate representation of the original scene.’

In every way that a final image deviates from the original scene or subject today, there are well known classical artists from decades ago who deviated just as far, if not further from their original scene and were praised and are still remembered today because of it.

All of this to say. Go shoot. Not everyone will like it. But it makes it better when your work connects with someone who does. Don’t shoot what you’re expected to. Shoot what moves you… what captures YOUR heart. YOUR imagination and YOUR attention. And next time you’re asked or given the opportunity to criticize the work of others, be honest, but keep in mind that they are shooting for themselves too… There is always room for improvement in your, their and my photography… but improvement doesn’t require a complete change of style, processing, vision, genre, creativity, exploration or imagination. Seriously.

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*soapbox stashed away for another time…