Photography Is Not Art

There I said it.
Photography isn't art. It's a craft. Painting is art. Drawing is art. Photography captures this. It became less of an art once it hit digital cameras. That is definitely terrible craft.

Why? Because it's a capture of time and space. The instrument used to capture seems to be focused more on the operator than the shooter. I think of someone like Ansel Adams who is religiously seen as the father of the zone system of photography. This is a formula considered by most now as a standard. I don't think art should be a formula. In fact, we spend a shitload of time trying to kill formulas. Yes, it's a great tool for starting out, but it quickly becomes a crutch.

I hear there is a lot of grumbling between those who choose the right time of day with the right light to shoot. And that...God forbid, they never use artificial light. What bothers me is that these are the same people who have models pose in the most ridiculous ballet stances or nude in some diorama...and yet they grouse about artifice. Really?

Photography is a narcissist's medium. It does more for the photographer than the model. We know what pretty is. Nature created it. Makeup enhances. Light hides or embellishes. But there is no art there. The artists are the production designers or the makeup people and the costumers. We're just lucky to have a camera with a nice lens. Also, those who don't do their own retouching...you're just a button pusher. And if it's your way to do business, then you'll more than likely to be successful. But you're going to miss out on the true craft.