“Photography is not art,” said one of the best photographers I’ve ever met.
Now this dude has a serious reputation of being a major grump, but it didn’t make it less surprising to hear from someone who fancies himself a god amongst the rest of us photo peasants.
“Oh shut the hell up,” came from across the room by another gifted photographer, whose career started when the other dude was drilling farts into his diapie, unable to hold thoughts more complex than “I hungry.”
Who’s right?
Well, I don’t know, but doing what I do, and being who I am, I’ll throw in my 1.36 cents (devalued from 2 cents to adjust for inflation and quantitative easing).
Photography and photo manipulation is now a largely accepted form of art, but there are still these photo “purists” (I prefer the word “snobs” but I’m trying to be nice here) that think reality should not be altered.
The school of thought is photography was thought to catch a moment of time, to portray reality, but that’s really not true is it? Essentially you’re seeing the things the photographer chooses to see, their choices when toning, the message they are conveying through this biased interpretation of the subject.
If art is an expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power, what’s the difference?
For me, the only difference is point of view. The photo snob is telling a story all the same, they are telling someone else’s story with their choices usually with the intent of conveying emotional power. While I am telling my own, in my own way (digital manipulation) with creative skill (yes, Photoshop is a skill) and imagination.
Why is this argument even still a thing? And why are photographers, who would do well to support each other, still making this argument against other photographers? Maybe it’s because the emergence of photographers who’d rather not slave away, adhering to some washed up, tired old rules, is somehow an affront to the less creative photographer.
I’d like to say I respect their position, but I don’t. It’s garbage. If you don’t like my work, fine, cool, doesn’t matter to me. I’m going to keep rocking to the beat of my own drum until there ceases to be air in my lungs, regardless of anyone’s say-so. But to throw the baby out with the bathwater, by continuing to cling on to tired paradigms about what photography ought to be is complete nonsense.
Evolve. Die. Do whatever, just get out of the way.