PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART
Photography can be said to be as an art since it involves and requires correct projection of light. To get this proper light setting, a photographer will have to wait and prepare the setting for taking it in the perfect light. Hence, there is an effort on the part of a photographer to get the correct lighting angle and the effect. Therefore, it can be said to be a form of art. Art such as physical paintings require the painter to create the correct color mix and effects for it to look appealable to the viewer (Datta, Joshi, Li, & Wang). The same goes with photography where the photographer has to ensure that he gets the correct light effects, which attract the consumers. Another reason why photography can be said to be (an is missing ) art is that it requires the photographer to ensure that the picture or the object of focus in that picture is in the proper angle and looks natural. He also has to ensure that the way the object is positioned helps ensure that the focus is on that particular object. (sentence error) All these things make photography a form of art, which requires effort on the part of the photographer. Photography can also be said to be an art because of what the person wants to depict through the photography. Photography does not always have to be scenery or nature based. It could also be depicting an important event or a replication of an event. The person to depict a concept or an idea paints just the way a painting, a photograph might also help depict some kind of event, idea, concept or replication of some event. Photography is therefore an art that is created by the person. Along with the idea or concept, a photographer is also required to create an illusion or an image that stays in the minds of the people (Wicks, 1989).
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Main Body
Another set of reasons why photography is considered art is because a photographer needs to be capable to be able to capture images that are appealing. This implies that as everyone cannot paint or create a sculpture, everyone cannot be either excellent in taking photographs without having the skill to do so. A photographer therefore needs to have the knowledge to use the lens of a camera similar to how a painter is supposed to have the skills of using a brush and creating strokes (Hughes, 2012). Therefore this another reason photography can be said to be art. Photographers also need to ensure that they use colors or effects that appeal to the mind, are pleasurable and soothing to the people. This is similar to a sculpture or a portrait that needs to be done with such colors, which would leave a memory and impression in the minds of people. Along with the technical skills to use camera and other technologies to capture images, a photographer also needs to ensure that the picture does not contrast the idea that he wants to present. A skillful person or someone who has the talent of representation of concepts can only do this. This talent can therefore be termed as an art. Technical Knowledge while taking a photograph is extremely necessary which is similar to an artist’s knowledge of using paints, which implies that photography is an excellent art form too (Johnson, 1995).
Photography can also be said to be an art as it can act as a medium of communication. Photography just like a painting, a portrait or an art piece that depicts some sort of event that happened has the capacity to communicate whether it is feelings, concepts or an idea. In addition, due to this power of communication, photography or a photo taken can leave impressions in the minds of the people. A well-drawn painting generally uses its colors to ensure that the painting or any art piece created leaves an impression in the minds of the people and leaves a memory to last long (Locke, 2015). The same is with photography. Photos have the power to remain as memories in the minds of people and hence can be said to be an art form. However, not all photographs leave an impression in the minds of people. It is only the well-composed photographs, which the people generally love and like to have it in their memory feed. Thus, taking an excellent picture is an art form and not everybody can take it. In addition, photographs have the ability to create focus on an object, concept or idea as opposed to the environment in the background. In a scenery for example, as opposed to the natural environment, the painter uses brush strokes and size configurations to ensure that the focus of the viewer is on the house and not on the other components of the environment (Carone, 2010). Photography has similar power. By the use of camera technology and the skills of focus by the photographer, there is always an importance or focus created on the objects, which makes concepts clear for the viewer.
Similar to art, for a photograph to come out to be perfect, there is a necessity to practice photography skills well enough before taking perfect pictures or something that can be considered as an art. Therefore, as a painter needs to practice his paintings and brush strokes before being able to paint out perfect pictures, a photographer needs to be well versed with his skills to take photographs. The fact that not everyone can be a photographer worth appreciating is what makes photography a practiced art (Napoli, 2017). Other acknowledged art forms such as portraits, sculptures, 3D designs have a soothing and pleasing effect that it creates in the minds of the viewers. The same is true in the case of a photograph, which can create memories for the person and create a pleasing impression. For Example: The ability to create photographs have helped us capture some of the greatest moments in the history as well as some very important and essential people, events, memories. Therefore, it is similar to an art form that creates portraits of people or recreates event scenarios (Napoli, 2017).
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Conclusion
People who oppose photography to be an art form simply state that technology has made it really easier for people to capture photographs. Therefore, it cannot be considered as an art form as there is simple technology to use through which everyone can capture photographs. Proponents who believe that photography is an art state that although technology exists for people to easily take photographs, without knowing how to use this technology, it is impossible for one to take excellent photographs that are actually worth appreciating (Thein, 2013). Photography does not require physical effort as opposed to a painting or a sculpture is another reason why few people do not consider Photography to be an art. However, when a photographer uses mental efforts to work on the mechanics of a photography such as adjusting lens, setting focus, setting colors, there is a lot of mental as well as considerable amount of physical effort for it to be considered as an art (Thein, 2013). A last argument that people have against photography is that a photograph can give out double meaning or create an illusion in the minds of people whereas an art it supposed to be clear. However, photography uses focus effect to ensure that people get the view and concept that they are supposed to understand through that particular photograph. This effort ensures that it is an art form (Thein, 2013).
References
- Carone, A. (2010, August 23). What Makes A Photograph Art? Retrieved from KPBS: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/aug/23/what-makes-photograph-art/
- Datta, R., Joshi, D., Li, J., & Wang, J. Z. (n.d.). Studying Aesthetics in Photographic Images Using a Computational Approach. The Pennsylvania State University Journal.
- Hughes, J. (2012). PHOTOGRAPH AS ART, PHOTOGRAPH AS DATABASE. Harvard Journal of Law & Technology.
- Johnson, B. (1995). Photography Speaks.
- Locke, N. (2015, March 11). How photography evolved from science to art. Retrieved from THE CONVERSATION : http://theconversation.com/how-photography-evolved-from-science-to-art-37146
- Napoli, V. (2017, September 4). Behind the camera: what makes a photograph art? Retrieved from Artfinder : https://www.artfinder.com/blog/post/photography/#/
- Thein, M. (2013, November 18). The Line Between Art and Photography. Retrieved from HUFF POST : https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ming-thein/art-and-photography_b_4297646.html
- Wicks, R. (1989). PHOTOGRAPHY AS A REPRESENTATIONAL ART. British Journa of Aesthetics, 1-9.
