This question has been around since the camera was invented and there is still much debate. Since I am a photographer with a limited word count, I will concentrate on the yea side.
Start with the adage that the best camera is the one you have with you; if you don’t have a camera, you miss the moment. A second adage to remember is that a great photographer can make a great image whatever the camera and a bad photographer will still make a bad photo with a top of the line camera.
Why are these true? How do they impact my argument that photography is art?
It’s all about learning to see and understanding good composition; the crux of all fine art. Great art shares the vision of the artist, elevates the imagination, and pushes the viewer to view the world differently. Great photographers, like great artists, apply the tools available to them to create an image that stirs our soul.
I hope you will agree, photography is ART.
Telling a story through images is important to me. I find drawing to time consuming; collecting source material (photography) is fun, drawing is not. With hand coloring, I skip the drawing and jump right into the application of color!
Black and white photographs are my foundation, enhanced with layers of transparent colored pencils. Time saved is time well spent doing research and planning the next source collecting experience!
