Going beyond traditional photography #1 - Background & rationale

Going beyond traditional photography #1 - background & rationale

Last summer I became interested in exploring how to expand the range of transformations I can make to my photos.  Exploring this topic has been lots of fun and has resulted in a number of cool images that I really like.

I started this project for several reasons. I had just retired and was taking a summer off, so I had plenty of time to explore and experiment. I also recently started using a Fuji XT-2 mirrorless camera and was learning about the built-in film simulations and special tools. Finally, I had recently obtained an IPad Pro and was exploring how to take advantage of the possibilities this large tablet offers, including digital art and photography apps.

In addition to these resources I spent time learning more about the software tools I had on my computer including ON1 Photo RAW, Aurora, Luminar, and an old copy of Pixlr. (Sadly, I can't use the latter anymore since I purchased a new Mac running the Catalina operating system. Pixlr is still around and offers a free and paid online editing service that I have yet to explore.)

An obvious question is why do this? I had several reasons:
1) I was curious.
2) It is fun.
3) I have liked and continue to like the results.
4) It encourages me to addresses the issue of how I can produce "fine art" photography.

 I pursue photography as a hobby and creative outlet. Therefore the first 3 reasons need little further explanation.

The fourth raises the issue of what fine art is, a question that is complicated and even contentious. Since my goals are to be creative and produce work that I find pleasing and meaningful, fine distinctions are not important for me. Rather, I have taken my inspiration from several writers who have broadly addressed this issue including:

Jessica Stewart:
Instead, a distinguishing feature of fine art photography is that recording a subject is not the main purpose. These artists use photography as a means to express their vision and make an artistic statement. (https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-fine-art-photography-definition/)

Brian Rivera Uncapher:
Fine art photography, on the other hand, is first and foremost about the artist. It is not about capturing what the camera sees; it is about capturing what the artist sees. In fine art photography, therefore, the artist uses the camera as one more tool to create a work of art. The camera is used to make an art piece that reveals the vision of the artist and makes a statement of that vision rather than documenting the subject before the lens.

Hence, a fine art photograph must contain elements of control ...Ansel Adams’ expressed it best in the quote below:

Art implies control of reality, for reality itself possesses no sense of the aesthetic. Photography becomes art when certain controls are applied.
https://photographylife.com/what-is-fine-art-photography

My efforts to date may not be achieving fine art status, but I hope I am working toward that end. For now, I am calling the images "imaginatives". I have a collection of a sample images on my Smugmug page: https://jd787photography.smugmug.com/Imaginatives

In subsequent posts, I will share some of my experiences and results. I hope you find them interesting and perhaps useful.