Fine art photography is an exploration of photographic creativity and an expression of emotion and imaginative vision. It is not just about assembling some objects together, switching it to black and white and calling it fine art – it needs to be an expression of the photographer. Fine art photography should have meaning and a purpose. Double exposure photography is also an extension of fine art.
Fine art photography is subjective
This genre of photography can be very subjective, meaning the characterisation of the work can differ from one photographer to the next. From altered reality, simple or complex black and whites, to still life, landscapes and artistic portraits the definition of fine art can fluctuate, but the initiating elements of the art will always have an expressive and creative foundation sourced from the artist’s mind.
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Black and white
A lot of artistic photography is done in a black and white style, but that is not a fixed rule. It depends on the story the photographer is trying to convey in the work. Colour can work just as effectively as black and white photography when creating fine art.
Although a still life art piece can be considered fine art, fine art photography can be so much more, including dramatic portraits with the introduction of composited elements in post-production to dramatic scenes that evoke emotion and consideration by the observer.
A creative outlet
The skill of creating fine art through the lens of a camera is not usually a commercial venture of photography; it is usually a creative outlet for both hobbyist and professional photographic artists. Creating fine art through creative photography is an enjoyable outlet for any photographer that needs a break from the usual genres.
There’s no set way to create fine art from photographs. As long as the artist can see beauty, structure or emotion in an object or scene and can create fine art photography works that have meaning and purpose, the artist photographer has achieved their goal.
This genre of photography is an exploration of creativity and an expression of emotion and imaginative vision.
The power of composition
A powerful fine art composition is one that has been derived from an artist photographers’ emotions and it commands from the viewer a deeper understanding of emotive and captivating fine art photography, and gives an insight into the artist photographers’ purpose for creating the work.
In good company
There are many well-known and not so well-known modern-day fine art photographers such as Annie Leibovitz (portraits), Didier Massard (realism), Jeff Wall (conceptual), Tony Hewitt (landscapes) and Nan Goldin (documentary).
Fine art portfolios
Display your fine art works in a portfolio by creating a website, and upload your best work to an eye-catching online portfolio on your social accounts such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Have fun with fine art photography!
There are many forms you can photograph in fine art photography.