I was thinking the other day about the art of photography. What makes it an art form? Is it just the photographer's vision captured, or does it encompass the whole gamut of the capture process, post-production, retouching, cropping and subsequent output?
I was also thinking about the process of making images using film because I'm about to demolish the darkroom in my studio. As of now, it has become a storage closet!
I had long ago donated most of my film developing and enlarging equipment to the local high school, and the upcoming removal of the darkroom proper, started me thinking about the whole process. It required a lot more work than simply capturing an image on a digital camera or mobile phone. Photographers like me had to think hard about making images because the process included: getting a proper exposure, developing the film or sending it to a lab, making sure that all the chemicals were fresh and, in the case of color film, all at the correct temperatures, making a proof or contact sheet so that the images could actually be seen, choosing a frame to enlarge with an enlarger and print, using several other chemicals, all of which had to be fresh as well. As if all of this wasn't enough, the image or images that you selected for printing had to be dodged or burned in order to bring out maximum detail in the print! This was the only way to view the efforts of one's labors, photographically. It took time and considerable effort.
Many photo enthusiasts these days have no idea what this process was and therefore, in my opinion, don't have the proper respect for what it took to make photographs that we consider "iconic" today! So, now, the process of
Photography As Art
by William Lulow
Growth & Funding Strategist