Are Photographer trying to mimic Painters?

[Grandpa Ron]

Recently I was a Barnes and Nobles casually thumbing through a few of their photography magazines. I saw several picture that I thought were brush and canvas paintings. My first though was someone was doing an article on famous artworks of the past.

But this was not so, it seems the authors intentional crafted their photographs to what at first glance they resembled oil on canvas. A second look confirmed they were indeed very well done post processed photographs. Still in the back of my mind I recall the decades of debates, about whether photography was truly "Fine Art" or simply trying to imitate Fine Art.

In my mind a painting is a painting, a sculpture is a sculpture and a fine art photograph is easily recognized on its own merit. But I wonder if I am way behind the times.

So, the question is, "Is the current trend in photography to mimic and/or blend in some other art forms? "

 

[NS: Nikon Shooter]

So, the question is, "Is the current trend in photography to mimic and/or blend in some other art forms? "

In a painting, the artist will only include what he/she wants to see there.
A photograph will offer more that what the artist saw — read wires, dead
materials and feathers of all kinds and what not.

Often, it is this characteristic that is referred to when comparing both art
forms… me think.

 

[smoke665]

So, the question is, "Is the current trend in photography to mimic and/or blend in some other art forms

Seriously, you just noticed, photography has mimicked painting since the beginning in one form or another . The composition guidelines we follow weren't invented by photographers. Rembrandt lighting a popular portrait lighting technique wasn't invented by a photographer. Chiaroscuro with its signature heavy light/dark mood wasnt invented by photographers, and the list goes on. Photographers have always looked to the masters for inspiration in their work.

 

[Rickbb]

Realist’s, impressionists even abstractionists all have a photography analog.

It used to be really hard to pull off, but now you can download an add on to post software and some phones have them built it, just point and click and viola you have a Van Gough “style” photo.

People like a painting that looks like a photo, the other way round is still mostly a novelty.

 

[SquarePeg]

Especially in flower photography groups, there is a trend to use textured backgrounds that really gives them that painterly look. Also lensbaby has a few new lenses that give this look. The velvets have been around a while but there is a new soft optic that has everyone all in tizzy.

I like it. I do sometimes go for the painted look. This was taken with the Fuji 60mm macro and processed in Affinity photo. No changes to the background. I have it printed on canvas and it looks just like a painting.

 

[Strodav]

As part of learning about the art and science of photography, it is recommended you study the works of the master painters. Specifically how they use light and composition. I have seen many examples of photographers recreating the works of the masters with the tools of photography. To me, it's a natural thing, not a trend.

 

[zulu42]

Remember that to appreciate and be faithful and practice your chosen methods of the art, there is no requirement to dislike other methods.

 

[adamhiram]

it seems the authors intentional crafted their photographs to what at first glance they resembled oil on canvas

If you are looking at composition and lighting, that certainly makes sense - the same principles apply to both mediums. If you are more referring to the overall look after post-processing, that sounds like what is often referred to as "painterly", a look that is very popular right now. I think it can look amazing when done well, but I would liken it to HDR - there's a fine line between achieving the desired look and over processing an image.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

Well I certainly will admit that the "painted look" produces some incredible art work. And, as Square Peg has shown, it would be difficult to say if the flower is a picture of a painting or photographic art work.

So my question has been answered, yes there is a trend to blend photography with brush and canvas art.

I realize that photographers have always used the same techniques; lighting, texture, composition etc. as the rest of the art world, but their work, even the abstract versions, were generally recognized as photographic.

Given the growing technological creativity of post processing and the transfer of this technology from the computer directly to camera body, I guess one could say that yet another photographic path to adventure continues to unfold.


Photography has evolved into a big tent. Film and gel coated glass plates are still commercially available; and wet plate photography still has its followers; albeit they are dwarfed by popularity of the latest and greatest post processing programs.

 

[AlanKlein]

Applying graphics, watercolor, ink, oil, and other kind of strokes to a photos is old news. My Photoshop Elements of twenty years ago has all those Filters. Here's just one panel of dozens I can select from to create the "art" look. THis one is Palette Knife. There are all sorts of options as to size of knife, stroke detail, etc.

 

[smoke665]

my question has been answered, yes there is a trend to blend photography with brush and canvas art.

As Alan pointed out its been around in digital software for awhile, but the "trend" to make photos look like paintings started back in the late 1800's with hand coloring black and white photos using everything from dye, watercolor, oils, colored pencil, and pastels. Maybe the reason you see more now is that software has evolved to the "one click" age where effects can be applied with very little effort.

 

[AlanKlein]

I just thought of paint-by-the-numbers painting I used to do as a kid and thought that someone should write a program that does that for one of your photos. So I Googled it and sure enough, someone has. There are loads of companies that do this.

Here's one. Custom paint by number - Make Your Own Photo - Numeral Paint

 

[Grandpa Ron]

I guess I should not be surprised by the advances in the technology. I do remember early versions of Photoshop having a painting option but it seems to me one could still tell it was a photo.

I probably does not help that I spent a significant portion of my engineering career behind a computer monitor, starting in the 80"s with tower units, 5 1/2 inch floppy discs and the early versions of AutoCAD. This was long before laps tops, cell phones and the ubiquitous internet, were just a arms reach way.

Naturally when I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was sit at another monitor and play with photographs. Don't get me wrong, I love digital because it allows me to experiment with everything from pinhole to astrophotography and it is cheap. Still, I am a button and lever guy; and there is a feeling of satisfaction comes from reading the light meter, setting the aperture, and the shutter speed then ducking under the dark cloth of a view camera and successfully framing an upside down and reversed image on a piece of ground glass.

Success is sweat, but at over a dollar a shot, failure is a blow to your pocket book as well as your ego.

 

[mrca]

Grandpa, you mean like this? 8 hours of painting then printed on Epson Cold press bright, a heavily textured mat paper. My printer will print canvas, but the paper is way better. Event shot with a 50' bounce to L wall in the school all purpose room with ugly florescent lights to place shadows for shape and form, back ground was ugly school wall. So that is a hand painted background... by me digitally. I got to pick the colors based on the colors I painted on the subject. Some folks may want their work to look like what is in front of the camera and that is fine, it is their style, I want to have many techniques at my finger tips and be able to make unique images. I studied painting techniques, brushes, blending, and even the traditional painted portrait technique of lightening the lower iris. I don't think many folks make event photos like that either in capture or editing. I ridiculed my Dad who colored many of his photos in the 30's. I still love his b&w portraiture. He's looking down getting the last laugh.

 

[mrca]

Here's the original out of camera.