Is Photography a Form of Art?

The debate over whether photography is art has raged in the art world for a long time, and we are unlikely to resolve it completely today. However, if you want to pursue a career in photography with the purpose of creating high-quality art, this is a crucial decision to make. If you're in that situation, the thought of someone saying, "That's not art, you simply took a picture," is unsettling. So it's worth considering the issue from a variety of perspectives before deciding which side to support.

Of course, art is a highly personal experience. Many people would look at a Jackson Pollack "splatter" painting and immediately conclude that it is not art since it "doesn't look like anything." And if you spend any time in the modern art world, you will undoubtedly come across something that, to you, could never be regarded art occupying space in a perfectly acceptable art institution.

Is it merely a matter of taste? Yes, to some extent. However, there is an art world and a business that rely on the existence of some standards by which art is appraised. The artist's intent is one such standard. If you make a photograph or an art piece based on a photograph that is meant to be considered as art, the viewer is required to look for aesthetic quality in it. Whether or not the audience recognizes that merit depends on the viewer's ability, how well you communicate your aesthetic message, and a variety of other elements.

But simply wishing for something to be art does not make it such, does it? As a layperson in the art world, I sometimes evaluate pieces using the "I don't know art but I know what I like" system. After all, art has a way of touching us in a way that is above and beyond the image. It's an emotional space, as well as a place for reflection and comprehension. Perhaps we could say it affects our "soul." There must be a message, a sentiment, or a motive for the artist to create the work because he or she wanted to express something, even if my interpretation of the statement differs from what the artist intended.

As a result, that might also be an assessment of a photograph's artistic merit. The fundamental issue to whether photography is art is that it is frequently a realistic depiction of a moment captured by a machine, and others would argue that “anyone can take a picture.” The assumption is that photography art does not require the same technical competence as painting or sculpting a statue.

True, the mechanical competence required by a Wal-Mart employee to snap infant images may be the same as that required by a brilliant photographer. However, the argument fails since the same human language is utilized to compose great poetry as it is to scream obscenities at a baseball game. So it isn't the ability that distinguishes it as art.

The praise that some of the world's most illustrious art critics have lavished on photographic shows at the world's finest museums is compelling evidence. The fact that photography is regarded as art by those in the know may be sufficient proof. So, because the arguments against the artistic worth of images are weak, and because individuals who know regard photography to be art, we can view what we do artistically as well. And that frees up that part of your soul to express itself through your favorite medium, photography.