Are you an artist?

[mishele]

Josh, Ive seen a lot of your stuff over the years. If you want to create art, you know exactly how to do it...=)

 

[Josh66]

As far as your .1%, maybe you just have a high shooting ratio.

I think I've just set the bar too high.

 

[Steve5D]

First and foremost, I consider myself a photographer.

I can produce art, but it is only through the medium of photography. Ergo, if I were not a photographer first, there would be no art...

 

[duhast]

As far as your .1%, maybe you just have a high shooting ratio.

I think I've just set the bar too high.

And maybe that's a problem. The image that pops into my head is one of the pretentious beret-wearing Beatniks from the 50'-60's, sitting in a coffeehouse contemplating why there is air. I think e.rose is on to it, have a more 'zen' or David Carradine 'kung-fu' attitude about it. Hell, even go Yoda, "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'." I'll bet there are even those into quantum theory who would argue that the instant you start to consciously produce Art, it ceases to be Art...

 

[desmondlewissmith]

When you walk into a project, do you have a vision? If so, your vision is art if you manage to accomplish it, if not, it's your attempt to create art.

- Nada Mas

I've been thinking about this a lot lately...

I feel that very little of my work would meet my (personal) definition of "art". I think that "art" has a message - it says something, influences the viewer. Moves them in one direction or another. Art is almost like conversation, but more powerful because it works on more levels than words.

Just to throw some numbers out there - I have roughly 5000 photos on Flickr, maybe .1% of those I can call "art".

I feel like I've reached a point where I need to start producing some art ... or, what's the point?
I have a few ideas - I tend to think 'art' things over for a long time before I shoot them. By the time I actually do shoot them, I know exactly what I want it to look like, and exactly how to shoot it.


So, here's the question(s): Do you feel that you are producing 'art', or just 'photos'? How do you feel about that? What does your work say about you, or society, or whatever it is you are commenting on with your work?

 

[cgipson1]

Conversations like this make my head hurt

As far as I'm concerned, the "point" of it for me is because I enjoy doing what I do. Period.

Quite frankly I could give a sh*t as to whether people considered it to be art or just plain photos.

I like it, and that's all I care about.

To get wrapped up in whether or not it fits any number of definitions of "art" would be asking myself to become overwhelmed, depressed, bitter, and possibly begin to hate doing what I do... and then when THAT happens... THEN what's the point?

::shrugs:: :lmao:

^^^ WHAT she said! X10!

Sometimes Yes... sometimes Maybe... sometimes whatever....

 

[desmondlewissmith]

As far as I'm concerned, the "point" of it for me is because I enjoy doing what I do. Period.

Quite frankly I could give a sh*t as to whether people considered it to be art or just plain photos.

I like it, and that's all I care about.

Unless said person with an opinion is your paying customer with a vision, they you are getting paid to give a sh!!!.

 

[texkam]

The art of photography feeds one's soul. The craft of photography feeds one's mouth.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

The art of photography feeds one's soul. The craft of photography feeds one's mouth.

I will use this quote in my signature... also, your avatar bugs me, I just swatted my screen...

 

[texkam]

I will use this quote in my signature... also, your avatar bugs me, I just swatted my screen...

Thank you. I just came up with it on the spot. Don't know if I've ever been quoted in print. Give me a credit after it. :thumbup:

 

[e.rose]

As far as I'm concerned, the "point" of it for me is because I enjoy doing what I do. Period.

Quite frankly I could give a sh*t as to whether people considered it to be art or just plain photos.

I like it, and that's all I care about.

Unless said person with an opinion is your paying customer with a vision, they you are getting paid to give a sh!!!.

I give a sh*t about everything I create (with the intent to create, as opposed to my cat being cute on the couch and my grabbing my camera so I can upload the evidence to Facebook :lmao: )... I just don't give a sh*t to assign a "title" to it.

 

[ZimPhoto]

You're missing the point, e.rose.

This isn't about what other people think art is. We've done that. This is about if you feel that you are producing whatever it is that you consider "art" to be. Are you an artist, or "just" a photographer?

I don't consider myself as an artist, nor do I kid myself into thinking I know what art is. I don't have an eye for that. What I strive for is a photo that is technically accurate; that maybe looks pleasing to me in the process (btw...I've got a long way to go).
Anyway, my thought is don't get to get to hung up on whether you're making "art" or "photos" but enjoy your hobby/profession and always look to improve.

Not sure if this adds to the discussion but its midnight on a Friday and I'm finally relaxing with a few (+1) beers after a long week.

 

[e.rose]

Anyway, my thought is don't get to get to hung up on whether you're making "art" or "photos" but enjoy your hobby/profession and always look to improve.

That's EXACTLY. What I'm saying.

Cheers! :cheers:

 

[Helen B]

My reading of Josh's question is not that it is about pigeonholing or categorization at all, but about how you feel about the images you make. I have made a lot of what I call my 'pretty pictures' - usually photos I was moved to take by my surroundings and the experience - and I feel quite differently about those than I do about ones that go a little deeper but that still come from within.

 

[Ballistics]

If you don't get hung up on whether whether or not you are making art, how the hell are you supposed to improve if making art is what your trying to do? That makes no sense. Don't get hung up on being good, just work on being good. You're saying the same thing.

If you didn't care what others thought of your photos, then you wouldn't be here asking for critique. You can say all day that you take photos for yourself or that you create without the care of labeling it, but the second you ask someone else what they think, that all goes out the window.