Comments on: On Fine Art Photography

By: What Makes a Photograph Art? » Landscape Photography Blogger

What Makes a Photograph Art? » Landscape Photography Blogger — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:22:50 +0000

[...] word ‘art.’ Each of the three blogs are well worth reading for their take on these subjects: Guy Tal Photography Web Journal, Paul Grecian Photography and Carl Donohue’s Skolai Images. The discussion veered in the [...]

By: Links – February 26, 2010 « Beautiful Flower Pictures Blog: Floral Photography by Patty Hankins

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:03:14 +0000

[...] Guy Tal has On Fine Art Photography [...]

By: Paul Grecian

Paul Grecian — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:27:53 +0000

Guy,

I haven’t been here in a while. I’ll fix that. This phrase of yours I feel is so important to understand:

“The fact that a naturally-occurring phenomenon by itself is perceived as beautiful does not alone make it an incarnation of art. Its unique use by a human artist, expressing beauty through a composition and/or presentation of their own making, does.”

Thanks too for the link.

By: David Leland Hyde

David Leland Hyde — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:16:52 +0000

Thank you Guy for this insightful post. In your older post about the environment, I agree that man’s life and times are inconsequential in the big scheme of things, but I do not agree that environmentalists instigated or even perpetuate the separation of people from their environment. Their work is partly to reunite the two and make sure there is a future for both. However in this post, essentially everything you said is dead-on, in my opinion. There are a lot of photographers that seek out the tripod marks of others, essentially copy their creations, and call that art. Also, there are many in landscape photography who journey to places that are known for beauty, capture their postcard image and call it “fine art” as they use Photoshop and an expensive printer to add even more “beauty.” It is hard to fairly say whether someone’s work is art or not though, because the extent of their creativity and skill itself, or lack thereof, is in the judgment of the viewer.

By: Roberta Murray » A Rose Is Not A Rose

Roberta Murray » A Rose Is Not A Rose — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:44:55 +0000

[...] Guy Tal wrote such an excellent article today on Fine Art Photography that I can’t help but share some of his thoughts, and especially how they relate to mine. Please go read the entire post on his site; and enjoy the imagery posted with the article. [...]

By: Floris

Floris — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:11:34 +0000

Again, you manage to squeeze so many well thought out points in such a small space. This and your previous post are what I’m all about… it’s so great seeing you put these kinds of thoughts out there to hopefully get more people breaking out of the same old trends and taking some risks.

I also like how you included aesthetic beauty in your definition for fine art (like in your cited references)… I’ve never found some of the more cynical stuff to be ‘art’. I think we need a different word for that, they are more statements than art IMO.

By: Roberta

Roberta — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:25:40 +0000

Just wow. I am always blown away as much by what your write as the images themselves.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:48:02 +0000

Personally, my understand of `art’ focuses mostly on the deliberation with which the finished work is produced.

Particularly within photography, which might reasonably be described as `putting reality in a frame’, if that frame is carelessly pointed in the vague direction of a subject-matter, it is more likely to be a snap; if it’s chosen carefully with a view to the finished framing conveying a particular message, that is deliberate and more likely to make it art.

YMMV.

By: Guy Tal

Guy Tal — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:31:58 +0000

Thanks Bob! I agree with your points, however when it comes to a formal definition of fine arts (originally beau arts – literally “beautiful arts”) the dictionaries and references I found do explicitly refer to beauty and aesthetics.

I am, of course, aware of current trends among the art elite. Art is also a reflection of its day and, sadly, we do live in cynical times. Hopefully enough of us can still appreciate what beauty remains.

“The more horrifying this world becomes, the more art becomes abstract.” –Ellen Key

By: Bob Cornelis

Bob Cornelis — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:48:46 +0000

I enjoyed reading your essay – it’s a tough subject! I agree with your twin pillars of skill and creativity.

I think we have to be careful with the term “beauty” as an aim of fine art as there is a lot of fine art in which beauty plays not part. In fact, in the “high end” world of art these days, beauty is a much disparaged objective. I’m not saying I agree with this philosophy, but many feel beauty as an objective in fine art is trite. That’s why I like the term “creativity” as it allows for a broader range of expression. As Patrick points out, we may not personally enjoy that broad range, but it’s legitimate.