Tag: fine art

The more I read posts and comments in social media photography groups the more I wonder if many of these people are truly photographers or tech geeks. To a certain extent, technology has made photography easier but it is still the person who is the photographer, not the camera. There is so much gear bashing and gear obsession in the media and especially in photography groups. People even argue over what programs and computers people use to post-process their photographs. Does it really matter what you use or do the results matter? I think the results matter more than what stuff I use which is why I don’t get involved in those debates, I just see them.

Gear can be important but what is more important are the results. Don’t let your gear define you let your results define you.

Do all your photographs have to look like photographs? I don’t believe so. I believe in creative vision. I may decide to take a photograph to an extreme and apply all sorts of techniques to it. Will everyone like it? Most likely not. Do I care if everyone likes it? No. I create art and photographs for myself. If others enjoy it that is a bonus. There are those who don’t believe in any post-processing and use images straight from that camera. Some are fantastic and some are not. It’s their vision. Likewise, I may choose to do a massive amount of work on a piece of art, even so far as combining elements from several images. That is my vision.

My mind is a fascinating place and can change visions at a moment’s notice. And my mind may notify me of the change without conscious thought. I like to explore many creative styles, I don’t like to lock myself into a pigeonhole of one style. This mindset may be attributed to being nearly forced into conformity in the past by photography groups and clubs that defined a good photograph as one that looked like everyone else’s photograph. Often the only thing we lacked was a uniform we had to wear to participate. Explore your creativity, try way out techniques, try bizarre styles. It will free your creative soul.

Photography records my world and my view of it so I can show others what I see and how I see it. Just like any other art form I decide what to show and how to show it. This is especially true with digital photography and programs like Photoshop. We can transform ourselves into superheroes or other worlds. Digital photography has become more of an art form than ever if we just open our minds and hone our skills. Go forth and create some magical art.

Yesterday, I wrote about photography as a metaphor. Not only do I believe photography is a metaphor but it is also a reflection of my perspective, my mood, my personality, and in fact me. I don’t believe any of us can be so dissociated from our art. This is why I believe it is important to accept both concepts of photography as a metaphor and a reflection of ourselves. Once we accept these concepts free expression of our intent in a photograph becomes easier. These are good things. It can be a bit frightening to knowingly let others see into our minds but doing so allows us to create fantastic art and isn’t that really what many of us want to do? Think about it, freedom to do your art as you want. Express our reality, our vision, our dreams, our hopes.

It’s time for some introspection and set your creativity free. I’ve done it and it has given me an entire new view of the world, my art, and my life.