What makes Fine Art so Fine......

Over the past 20+ years as I have grown and evolved as a photographic artist I have seen many trends and styles come and go.  As with any profession there are always buzzwords that seem to find a way of becoming all the rage for a time.  A few years ago in photography there was suddenly a mass of "photojournalism" and "photojournalistic" photography being promoted.  Those were often used in conjunction with the term "candid" and promoted as the thing of the time.  I would often wonder how many clients and in fact how many of those "photographers" actually knew the difference between photojournalism and candid photography, they are completely different. 

As of late the new buzzword is "Fine Art" in our profession.  Something near and dear to my heart and something I feel strongly about.  I am asked quite often "what is Fine Art Photography"?  There is no really short answer to that but I will attempt to share with you what really makes Fine Art Photography... Fine. 

In a world dominated by digital enhancement and camera technology that is amazing, Fine Art Photography takes a more base approach.  In essence, Fine Art Photography is not only a style, it is a technique, a creative flair that is unique to each artist.  That being said, unlike other mediums such as painting, drawing or sculpture, Fine Art Photography has a more narrow scope of focus (no pun intended).  To achieve Fine Art in photography the devil is in the details.  Unlike candid photography or even traditional portrait photography where props are often used to create the overall feel of the shot, Fine Art Photography uses the singular subject and or theme and builds from that in detail.  Every aspect from lighting to positioning, background details, manipulation of the shooting environment and equipment. Often in a Fine Art shot the "imperfections" become the perfection if the artist is aware of them and encorporates them into their vision. 

The technique of Fine Art Photography is not something that can be accomplished within a few months or even years of photography. It is a skill, a style and an art that is cultivated from thousands of hours of shooting hundreds of thousands of frames and being absolute in self critique and growth. It requires a mastery of the camera and its function. A mastery of light, shadow and technique. With the addition of digital tools such as software and lighting the craft is even more limitless. If done correctly Fine Art Photography is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for a novice. Sadly, I often see photographers use the term Fine Art in conjunction with images that are at best a creative candid photo. Those are wonderful images, fun, enjoyable and emotional but they are NOT fine art images.  

Fine Art Photography is more than just photos, portraits or images.  It is a work of art, a piece of time that has been carefully captured with the purpose of lasting for generations while still evoking the emotion and depth of the moment within which it was taken.

When you hear the term "Fine Art Photography" know that for those of us who are photographic artists this is more than a buzzword. While a photographic artist will typically charge a higher fee the images created are worthy of those fees.  It is our craft, our passion, our style and the way in which we hope to leave a lasting piece of art, a legacy and a record of our world for generations to come.