The Photograph
Fine Art - A Journey from Intention to Inspiration
In the frenetic world we live in today, nothing goes unseen. There are more cameras capturing more video and still images than ever before in human existence. “Eyes” are everywhere. We carry a camera in our pocket more powerful than any ever created. Yet, do we really “see” the world around us. This article, while in no way exhaustive on the topic, will serve merely as an appetizer, to the artistic process I call “seeing”. It will be a condensed introduction to the ways in which I, as an artist, generally approach the journey of personal and creative expression. Each person who identifies themselves as an artist is unique. Every human on this planet is an individual as distinct and special as there are stars in the sky. Sure, we have similarities and shared traits but across the human spectrum no two have ever been or ever will be identical. We are truly one-of-a-kind, each of us in our own ways. So those of us gifted to be creative will walk that journey differently and express our interpretation of any chosen subject with a perspective that is wholly our own. Come and share this conversation with me. See if you find yourself described in these few paragraphs.
Photography is a much younger artform than sculpting or painting. When photography appeared on the creative scene in the early 1800’s it was seen by the artistic purists of the day as a novelty or recreational entertainment. It was not generally accepted as an art form, much less a legitimate expression or medium that qualified as fine art. During the past two centuries much has evolved in the use of photography but the debate, however, endures. Among modern purists are those who view photography as something anyone can do, far too “easy” to be taken seriously as fine art. I do not share this perspective. Being an artist comes from the soul deep within the creative person. Creativity can be expressed using any tool in the hand of an artist with God-given talent, educated in the principles of art and practiced in the application of the craft. I can express my creativity using a brush and canvas, a mound of clay, or a camera. The principles of composition, the control and manipulation of light and shadow, the selection of colors, textures, positive and negative space, are universal to the execution of art regardless the medium or tool. Fine Art is created by the artist, not the tool in his or her hand. Indeed, the artist’s intent and chosen medium are contributing parts of the definition of fine art. Said differently, if I claim to be a painter, it means I use brushes and pigments to apply my craft. Whether I apply it to canvas or to the side of a barn will determine whether I am a craftsman or an artist. My artistic intention determines the category of my work. The question then becomes whether my intent is to paint a house, or use pigments to create an abstract, a portrait or landscape? Is my motivation to create a work for aesthetic beauty or practical maintenance? The purpose determines the art.
Not so different from the debates around politics or religion, those ideals for which battles have been fought, are the arguments of the art purists (some would say Art Bigots) and the true creatives, those artists who esteem expression over status, who embrace any tool, method, technique or medium to express the dream within. The purist elites remain staunch and unyeilding in their condescending disagreement regarding the place of photography among the classical arts. There are, thankfully, those who choose a more refined and evolved perspective with a broader, more enlightened viewpoint. Among the more civil artisans fine art is held as an artistic expression created with the intent to be aesthetically pleasing, convey a statement, message or thought, or evoke an emotion or feeling in the viewer. This barely scratches the surface of the topic, and the fuller discussion is worthy of volumes, However, it begins to set the table around which I’ve invited you to join. At this table we will examine what I call the Four “I's“. Not the pejorative “four-eyes”, but Four “I’s”. These are Imagination, Intention Interpretation and Implementation. I hope these concepts will find a warm place in our conversation about photography as a form of Fine Art.
#1 - Imagination
We, as artists and creatives, have an innate sense of imagination. This is where they have known our most unguarded selves, the private garden where we have lived most of our lives. This is where new ideas are borne and raised, nurtured like children. Finding an idea your soul will lead to an insatiable longing to illustrate it, to depict for the world the idea at which your heart has been gazing. From there you can “sketch” on the drawing pad of your mind until a concept emerges. Like a writer with a new story idea, or a playwrite with a fresh script concept, work it and rework it until you have a solid concept. Then run for your tools and begin to experiment with execution while the embers are flickering.
#2 - Intention
I have found that wandering with intent often brings rewards I could have never found by design. Exploring areas I’ve never been puts before my eyes fresh scenes and new things I’ve never seen. I can look with clean perspective and discover interesting shapes, patterns, textures and tones, and from there lay down the foundation of something new, intriguing and beautiful. The natural, divinely created world holds visual mysteries in unseen layers. By choosing to use methods and techniques beyond my creative “normal” can I uncover the magic concealed and unseen beneath those layers. Only by pushing myself to employ a process I may have never considered I can set free such a unique and inspiring beauty. In this Limited Edition piece I call “Wandering Waters”, I chose to capture the scene in Infrared which gave light to this woodland dreamscape.
#3 - Interpretation
Learning to “See” is a lifelong pursuit, and only finds success if it is fertilized with relentless intentionality. Vision is the natural experience of using one’s eyes to look at the immediate surroundings. But consider whether that is the same as the artist’s interpretive “Seeing” the world around. My humble opinion is that to “See” is to perceive, to behold, and truly understand what lies in front of you. It is to grasp deeply the artistic potential of a scene. As the artist, one must be intentional and choose to develop, by perseverance and repetition, the ability to “See”. I do not believe that it is accidental, or simply a natural function, but rather an act of deliberate choice to look past the obvious, peel back the merely visual and perceive
with the heart. The Bible says that “when you seek, you will find, but only when you seek with all your heart”. THIS is the mission of the artist.
#4 - Implementation
This is designing the final finished form in which the world will enjoy and appreciate your delivered fine art piece. This is the process of selecting whether the piece will benefit from matting, whether single or double matting is appropriate, and which colors will complement it best. Lastly, you will select the framing best suited to house the new addition to your personal art collection.