When we think of fine art, we can go well beyond our childhood. So far back in fact that we often think of earlier time periods defined by periods such as the renaissance, baroque, rococo or even Romanticism… Whichever way we were culturally weaned as youth, we often perceive what is or is not defined as true fine art.
Whether our minds see certain timelines as ways to categorize the works of generations before us in order to find the mental faculties by which forge our outward perception of art or not is another story altogether, however, growing up within a household where my Mother was an American Master was unto itself a revelation with regard to our perception of fine art. Fast forward past Impressionism, cubism, postmodern realism and begin to dabble in what many have called Photorealism. While I am not sure what period this arguably might be considered, we can mostly all agree that photography in general has skyrocketed in popularity within the last century.
With technology making leaps and bounds quicker than we can keep up and a satiated differentiation between purists and digital artists, we are no doubt ushering in a new age where reality and creativity converge. While I am not sure when specifically, the term Fine Art Photography itself was coined, I am certain about one thing. Fine Art Photography IS a thing and it is certainly here to stay.
Being in the Fine Art business practically my entire life with my Mothers gallery in downtown Laguna Beach, chasing light was always a regarded pursuit amongst my family. With many forays to destinations both near and far, we traveled to many countries and chased illusive light! Far beyond the days where I was cognizant of the fact that I was in training myself to one day become what I feel in my heart I was meant to be… As I continued to work and my Mother mentored me that day came to reality, as I saw myself now a Fine Art Photographer!
What many have asked over the years is a very personal question and I can only answer that from my own perspective alone. While there are varying degrees of ideology as to what constitutes a Fine Art Photographer, I can only give you my version of what that is based upon being raised in the household of an American Master and Mother Ruth Mayer.
Art in and of itself is in the eye of the beholder. It is certainly for no one to judge yet every one of us is guilty of doing so. Taking notice of someone else’s arduous hard work and casting our opinion upon it whether silently or voiced. When the fact is that through the ages, there have been many instances where one might believe that a child could create it, however since that person is no longer alive it garners accolades to survive the generations. While that is a very simple and certainly nor proper way to define our feelings upon why one artist garners more attention than another and fairness having nothing to do with it, the subjective nature by which we include or ostracize a work is almost akin to a popularity contest. Alas, I regress! The topic here is Fine Art Photography and what makes it so?
Going back to my childhood in my Mother’s house, I was taught stone lithography and serigraphy. Both were the first types of reproduction methods utilized by every artist of the age prior to the advent of giclee or inkjet printing technologies. In each the idea was that an original artwork could only be in one home and scarcity was such that only so many works could ever be created in an artist’s lifetime. However, with the advent of these technologies, many could be created and thereby began the onset of what many debated: what constitutes Fine Art? Some could argue that it began well before that and I do agree, however for the sake of this story and my life experience, I will begin here.
You see, stone lithographs and serigraphs were desired in only small numbers. The reason for this is that the more attempts that you make to print a stone lithograph, the more blurred the edges become and that print would not offer the same crisp features as the original. The same can be said for a serigraph, where each swipe across the silk screen in fact wore down the screen and made each consecutive pass, less and less like the original.
This early technology, while great, had its flaws. Only an edition of around 295 to 395 images could be created before the stone and screens began to wear too greatly to accurately replicate the artworks as desired. As such, the limitations imposed upon reproductions early on were in large part greatly dictated to the quality of the print and the smallest numbers were the most desired as they were the most crisp and beautifully created images of the edition, with editions called Artist Proofs and Printers Proofs being even more coveted since they often came before the edition itself.
Fast forward to the digital era, the first print can be just as crisp as the thousandth print. There is very little anyone can do to distinguish one from another. However, what I have done is held fast to history and what my Mother had taught me. Classically trained with her master’s in fine art and a list of collectors, awards and accolades from around the world, I always felt that she was a great place to start and a cornerstone of where many of my own personal philosophies developed.
Fine Art and Fine Art Photography in my mind’s eye can take on many forms and I am no one to judge another on his or her craft. I will say one thing with great conviction though; you must limit your editions and you must limit your edition numbers to even consider your work collectible. This is where the definition of Fine Art comes into play for me. One cannot sell unlimited editions and call that work fine art. One cannot sell stock imagery and call it fine art.
Having sold my Fine art Photography to collectors around the world for well beyond a decade, I can speak from experience that people who invest in your artwork are investing in you as an artist. They place their faith and confidence in you to do everything that you can to provide them with integrity and value. It comes to the top of my mind that keeping with tradition and utilizing the best techniques available in order to offer the best technology can offer. In taking this a step further, even if an edition is limited and the image is exclusive to your collection, as artists, we must be diligent to utilize the best materials available. If the materials utilized in reproduction of the edition are not archival, then how can one begin to generate a statement that an artwork is Fine Art when it is not able to test the lifetime of the collector? Part of what I see is a large component of Fine Art Photography is utilizing methods which are time tested and certified archival. If we significantly limit edition sizes and utilize archival reproduction techniques as a bare minimum requisite, we are scratching the surface on what can be argued is Fine Art.
One question I am often asked is “can an artwork be sold as a limited edition after it has been in part sold as an unnumbered edition”? My answer is always a profound “No”. If anyone aspires to be an artist that is one thing, however, if you wish to become a purveyor and creator of Fine Art in particular, your standards must be unrelenting and strict. This internal discipline is one by which your name is tied to forever and the quickest way to lose credibility is to offer unlimited works in conjunction with limited works. I know this may ruffle some feathers to those looking to simply create an income or to begin to bridge into a new career path, however, if you are focused on building a best in class name, forged of honor and integrity to your end audience, your collector, the protocols must be about the artwork and not of our feelings.
This is much more about your good name than it is about the business of Fine Art Photography, making a living or being an artist. This has to do with terms such as legacy and your own mark on this world after you are gone. What about what we do is done in a manner that is unique, exclusive and unrivaled within our body of work as an artist? I believe that creating artworks that stand independent from a vast sea of others will stand the test of time.
With many workflows advancing into the realm of digital creation and more and more emphasis placed upon a vision than the moment, Fine Art Photography truly is in the eye of the artist. As such, we must remind ourselves of what is important to us as individuals and never allow the influence of other artists to come between the creativity that we naturally possess within. The idea of exclusivity in Fine Art and limited-edition work lies not only in its scarcity and its quality, it also has to do with its originality. With so many places being explored and trodden upon by others, creating an image just like others who have also created there will not help our cause if we seek to create something unique. In my eyes, Fine Art Photography is much more than that. We must avoid presets; we must get away from programmed keystroke shortcuts and we must get away from what others are doing for inspiration. We must be true to ourselves, create from a well within ourselves that only we possess. We must ignore the interpretations and expectations of others and create from scratch every time! Every place we visit feels different and holds its own form of expression. In order to pull from this, I feel we must honor it from the very beginning and move through your artistic workflow at your pace and where you feel that moment originated from. In my very humble opinion, this is where the best of the best Fine Art Photographs come from.
In conclusion, Fine Art Photography is highly subjective, however, no more than any other form of Fine Art and certainly no different than any other chosen medium whether classical or technological. Art in its purest form is our outward manifestations of the way we interpret our experiences and things around us. These visions allow us to create, explore and travel through the complexities which are the cornerstones of life itself. Art in nature is my truest form of inner connection and bringing Fine Art Photographs that capture that moment in time as an outward form of my innermost expression give relevance to what I regard in my work as Fine Art Photography. My hope is that you also see these attributes within your work and collections that allow you to see deeper within yourself and face value. Everything is much more meaningful and enjoyable once we allow ourselves to see things around us for meanings much deeper than the periphery of life, they allow us to truly see in the full vivid colors of life!