I really feel sad when good questions and conversations with potential for learning and understanding turn into kinda hostile exchanges. I do enjoy weighing in on theses conversations but sometimes I feel like acting as a referee or a moderator and that is rather awkward because I am not a “manager” or moderator” in this section of the forum. In this thread, however, I beg your indulgence in allowing me to be a temporary or honorary moderator- after which you can throw me out!
So...lets apply some logic and firstly define “art-” at least according to the dictionary:
ärt/
noun
1.
the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, photography, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
2.
the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance.
"the visual arts"
OK, then- sounds reasonable so I think we can all agree on that.
Here's my input or philosophy regarding photography and why I love it. Photography is a science, a skill, it could be a trade or a profession or practiced just of the love and fun of it. There is no doubt in my mind that it is unequivocally an art as well, however, every photograph is not art nor does it have to be. Each of us do photography for different reasons or motivations and each of us has the right to approach our craft as we like. Some just want to make visual records or memories of our family and friends, ourselves, special occasions and just have fun making snapshots- there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Some of us are actually artists and are seriously involved in creating outstanding imagery for self expression or for commercial purposes. Others just love to collect and tinker with all kinds of great gear-that's fine too- they may even discover their talent somewhere in the maze of pixel counting and techno-babble. Even among advanced amateurs, seasoned profession or recognized masters of photography, some photographs are created serendipitously- grabbed slices of life, happenstance, accidental or action frozen in time. Some images, I have no doubt, had appeared in the photographer's minds eye long before they appeared on the film, sensor or a sheet of photographic paper. Sometimes the art is in planing of a shot or anticipating the action and shooting at the “decisive moment”. Some photographs are totally contrived and others are spontaneous. Some photographers record history and report news and others create pure fantasy. As far as I am concerned, it's all good! Why take each other to task for doing what we want or need to do or how we approach this craft as we please. Besides, whether one is a family snap-shooter, a seasoned professional or somewhere in between there is no reason why anyone can not take a artful approach to their photography, that is, if the wish to. Some folks have the talent and savvy and some folks do not. Many have the innate talent and just need the education and stick-to-intuitiveness to develop it.
I have have been a professional photographer for over 50 years- that's how I earn my living. Sometimes I am an artist, sometimes I am just a good technician, sometimes I can express myself through my images and other times I am just a “hired gun” who is called upon to visually interpret other people's thoughts or concepts or simply execute a layout. I always try apply artfulness whenever I can but there are many instances where I just have to be satisfied with a decent representation of a product or a person- a reasonable likens. Not every portrait is a deep and revealing character study nor is ever still life a signal masterpiece- I try! Not every photograph has to be a documentary representation of reality. Not every photographer is a journalist.
Equipment? It borders on “silly”- well it's illogical to believe that equipment, in and of itself, can create art. Good equipment does, however, facilitate the creation of art and in some cases enables us to create images that would otherwise be impossible to capture without certain specialized devices. We could not make spectacular photographs of athletes suspended in midair without extremely fast shutters or electronic flash equipment with very short flash durations. We could not make intimate imagery of wildlife without our long and acute lenses. The list is long. If however, we agree with the definition of art and the art that is intrinsic in the of planning shots, anticipating action and even shooting at the decisive moment, it's obvious that there are no technologies or camera programs that can replace or replicate theses skills or talents. Automation can compute exposures, set focus, send data to lighting equipment and make camera operation more convenient but there is no computer driven or electronic program to arrange a composition, to create a mood with lighting, to inject emotion in an image, to see the dynamics of light, to capture an human expression, to tell you exactly when to release the shutter or even just tell a story. This list is very long, longer than the list of technical features- it's infinite and limited only by one's, imagination, resourcefulness, creativity and know how.
An important historical fact to consider its that many of the iconic images that we look back on with awe, the photographs made by some of the greatest photographers of all time, were done with surprisingly simple and sometimes old and well worn equipment.
Art sometimes appears in strange places. My plumber is an artist. Some years ago, prior to the digital age of photography, I was renovating a darkroom in my studio. I hired a plumber/contractor to construct a very large sink, make a ceramic-tile back splash, and install the safe-lights. I gave him some basic specifications as to size, the number and position of water taps and supplied him with temperature control valve. The water pipes were to be surface mounted and coated with an anti-corrosion paint. I was very busy on a location job so I just left him to his own devices.
When I returned two days later, I went to the darkroom and found a functional work of art. He had fabricated the sink of a battleship gray fiberglass. The copper tubing was arranged in a graphic array and coated with red epoxy paint, which stood out beautifully on a lighter gray tile. The safe-light housings, which were somewhat rusted, were repainted with in a flat black crinkle finish and all the valves and timers were perfectly located.
I worked in that darkroom for 10 years and every time I went in there, I experienced a good feeling and was inspired to get to work even on the more tedious jobs. He turned a “dungeon” into a comfortable work space. When I can appreciate a job well done, I am inspired to do good work for my clients. I was not surprised to later find out that my plumber was also a well known landscape painter and a fine furniture restorer and maker. Art is everywhere and its nice to appreciate it when you find it.
Be nice to each other- talk to each other!
Now y'all can fire me- I will go in peace!