Create art not carbon copies

I’ve written about this before, but I believe it bears repeating. My goal is to create art not a carbon copy of my subject.

After listening to a podcast, I started to think about this topic again today. The podcaster talked about William Mortenson and the “war waged against him” by members of Group f/64. If you’re not familiar with Group f/64 click here. The exciting thing is that even the “straight photography” of the members of Group f/64 were not true depictions of their subjects.

Let’s face it, as photographers we alter reality through the equipment we choose. We alter reality through the aperture we choose, through the lens, and through the media we choose.

For me, the greater challenge is to create art, not a carbon copy. I can create a carbon copy by using my cell phone. The art I create can even change from day to day, maybe even in a matter of hours, and is influenced by my mindset. For me, creating art is giving others a view into my soul and thoughts. I believe once you set yourself free to create art rather than a carbon copy you may never go back. Give it a try, experiment, play, test, and try new things. Creating art, for me, is much more rewarding.