Most amateur photographers use their cameras to document important events and capture memories without artistic motivation.
Instead, a distinguishing feature of fine art photography is that recording a subject is not the main purpose.
These artists use photography as a means to express their vision and make an artistic statement.
Alfred Stieglitz. Georgia O’Keeffe – Neck. 1921.Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photography becomes art when certain controls are applied.
What exactly does this mean?
Here, Adams taps into how artists have historically manipulated reality as a means to an end.
Alfred Stieglitz. Equivalents. 1928.Metropolitan Museum of Art
For instance, even classical landscape painters did not simply paint exactly what they saw in front of them.
Fine art photographers work in the same manner, simply using a camera instead of a brush.
This includes artistic documentary photography by renowned photojournalists.
Paul Strand. The White Fence. c. 1917. (viaWikicommons)
Paul Strand
Paul Strand.
Indeed, his artistic eye greatly informed his commercial work, where he specialized in portrait and fashion photography.
He also experimented withphotogramsas a form of expression.
Ansel Adams. Grassy valley, tree covered mountain side and snow covered peaks, Grand “Teton National Park”, Wyoming. 1941.National Archives Catalog
Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams.
Grassy valley, tree covered mountain side and snow covered peaks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
1941.National Archives Catalog
No discussion oflandscape photographywould be complete without including the legendaryAnsel Adams.
Ansel Adams. “The Tetons – Snake River,” Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. 1941.National Archives Catalog
The Tetons Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
This collection was later sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum for a report $5 million.
Jeff Wall
Canadian fine art photographer Jeff Wall is known for his large scale photographic tableaux.
John Goto. High Summer. 2001.
Wall’s work has evolved over time, with him experimenting widely on how photography can be manipulated.
His workRhine IIwas auctioned in 2011 for $4.3 million, making it the most expensive photograph ever sold.
John Goto
John Goto.
John Gotodefines himself as a photo-digital artist, using photography to create digital collages about social and political themes.
Often irreverent and satirical, Goto’s work creates a strong narrative through its layers of imagery.
In 2007 theTelegraphlisted himas one of the top 100 living geniuses.
Coming from a background in painting, Goto started off with traditional photography before transitioning into digital art.
He is afirm believerthat digital technology has created a synthesis between forms of painting and photography.
How Photography Changed the Way We Receive News.
