Fine art photography

Abstract

From 1839 photography has been a visual method of communication and expression. It is the combination of science and art, and for the one to exist or function without the other is impossible. In 1893, William Powell Frith, a genre painter of Victorian England , _stated: "In my opinion photography has not benefitted arts at all". Art critics did not accept photography as readily as artists and often used the word in a negative way. Now photography is well on the way to being reconized as an art form although most people still believe that it could never be taken seriously as such. In South Africa there is no market for fine art photography, because to much emphasis is placed on the commercial aspects of it. Photographers want their work to be recognized as art, but if they do not treat it as such it will never happen. commercial work goes hand in hand with creativity, but for a fine art photograph to succeed all the aspects of commercial photography should be pushed aside. Art photography speakes for itself and is important as a self expressing medium. There are some basic rules and guide lines to remember in fine art photography such as the rules of composition et cetera, but it is up to the photographer whether to use them or not. No limitations should be imposed on creativity, especially in photography. We need all the creativity we can handle so that photography can be recognized as an art form in this country. "It's important that we photographers show our recognition of the New Status Quo by entering our work in the Cape Town Trienna: and other competitions, fully expecting our entries to be juged not as poor relatives to art, partronisingly and condescendingly , but on an equal footing to any other art medium which is as it should be . We must be seen to be worthy of the recognition given to US. II ("Profoto", Oct./Nov., 1990. Page 3.)