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What is a Fine Art Photographer?

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Fine art is a common genre in both art and photography.  People curious about the art form often start by wondering what fine art photography is and end up asking what a fine art photographer is.  The quick and easy answer is a photographer who creates fine art photography.  While this answer is absolutely true, there’s more to it than that.  However, such a photographer is more than just that.  He or she is more than just someone with a camera taking ‘fine art’ pictures.

Cramer Imaging's photograph of photographers with cameras waiting for a landscape shot with a sunset behind in Tetonia, Idaho

Fine Art Photography Genres

A fine art photographer can do many different kinds of fine art photography.  There’s landscapes, nature, macro work, abstract, styled shoots, still life, model photography, and more.  A photographer can do one or more of these branches of photography and still call call him or herself a fine art photographer.  The definition of this kind of photographer is deeper than the kind of photos one chooses to take.

Grid showing several different kinds or genres of fine art photography

Master of Knowing Where to Stand

A fine art photographer is a master in the art of knowing where to stand.  There are amazing shots everywhere.  Such a photographer knows where to stand with the camera to get the perfect angle on a shot.  Much of the composition in such a photo is what the photographer decides to include and exclude from the frame.  Many times, getting something in or out of that frame is about finding just the right place to stand.

Behind the scenes at Cramer Imaging with Audrey photographing Bryce Canyon Utah at sunrise

Master of Vision

A fine art photographer is also a master of envisioning the final art product from a raw image, a set or vista, or even from imagination.  Choosing the right photo from a ton of raw photos (for all intensive purposes, negatives) can be difficult sometimes.  Having the vision of the final product out the the field is a major part of knowing where to stand but requires practice.  It’s even harder to create a fine art photo on a set from nothing.

Cramer Imaging's fine art landscape photograph of the sun rising over Bryce Canyon National Park Utah on the summer solstice

Master of Creating Emotion

A fine art photographer is also a master of creating emotion in the viewer.  Fine art is all about creating emotion whether it be nostalgia, disgust, calm, delight, horror, or many other possibilities off the rainbow of human emotions.  Creating emotion is integral to creating fine art of any form, photography is no exception to this rule.  Without the emotional connection, the final photo can’t easily be called fine art.

Cramer Imaging's quality landscape photograph of the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park Wyoming

Master of Light

A fine art photographer is a master of painting with light.  That sounds to pretty but ridiculous: painting with light.  However, it’s true.  No other form of art truly relies on light the way that photography does.  Painters use paint to imitate light in their paintings.  Photographers get to use real light directly with the camera.  Without light in the right places of the photograph, it becomes a blurry and poorly exposed mess: not fine art at all.

Cramer Imaging's fine art landscape photograph of fiery clouds over the Tropic Reservoir in Utah

Conclusion

So that’s a little more about what a fine art photographer is: a master of knowing where to stand, envisioning the final product, creating emotion, and painting with light.  All of these attributes apply to these photographers no matter what specific genre of photography he or she has chosen to focus in.  In short, this kind of photographer is an artist who has chosen the camera and light as his or her medium of art and expression.

If you have any more questions about what this kind of photographer is or about fine art photography in general, please check out this article on fine art photography or leave your questions in the comments section below.

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