Photography is a form of art. Everyone can take a photograph in these days of digital photography. It is not a matter of waiting to get a film developed to see whether you have captured the shot you want. Did you get the image in the centre of the picture? Have you cut off a head or missed feet making the photograph look strange. Not only can you instantly see the photo but you can edit, enhance, centre and colour any photograph to improve its quality. It sounds easy and even using a mobile phone some people have achieved photographs that truly reflect the occasion. A photograph will always reinforce the memory. However it is chance and it is not something that always happens.

Professionalism

Professional photographers and genuine enthusiasts leave little to chance. If everyone could take perfect shots every time there would be little demand for professional photographers. There is that demand because some people have an eye for design. They can see something that is obvious when it is produced but wasn’t so beforehand. How many times have you said to yourself ‘I wish I had thought of that, it is so simple’?

Photography involves imagination and artistic skills. There have been examples of photographs selling for seven figure sums so there must be something to this art of photography. Why would someone buy a photograph for such a sum if it was simply a matter of recreating the content or visiting the site and taking it yourself?

Exhibitions

There are regular exhibitions of photography much the same as there are of paintings and sculpture. Often they involve historical shots. The problem in the early days of photography was that long exposures meant it was not possible to photograph movement. Photographs of course are an exact representation not an interpretation of a subject.

The problem years ago and to some extent it remains today is the need to go out into the wilds to capture photographs of nature, flora and fauna that are often in remote locations. Static shots can be taken in a studio with everything set up correctly. The camera can be on a tripod usually, the lighting is perfect and the Lastolite Collapsible Background in place. There is little that can go wrong for a photographer with an eye for the subject matter.

Exotic locations

Painters can work in these surroundings as well while many photographers are out in the wilds in search of their subjects. They still find themselves carrying a huge range of equipment on their expeditions. Keen photographers can now get excellent digital cameras, lenses and filters and carry everything in a bag over their shoulders to fulfill their dreams of capturing images of the world’s most exotic places.

Some subjects are far easier than others. A favorite subject is a sunset. Most people take one or two that seem ideal and then moments later a new color appears in the sky. It makes them think again and they take more then more again. It is no problem in the digital age because some shots can be rejected later. The important thing is not to lose the chance while it is there.

Few people will ever reach the standards of the real professionals but that does not mean that they will not take some great photographs along the way. Taste is subjective and if you think your best photograph deserves a place on your wall then it is your choice to put it there. There are many valuable pieces of modern art that you would not give status to after all. Your art may well be your photography.