A Photographic Artists Struggle
As a photographic based artist it is sometimes a little difficult to get taken seriously, because I am using a camera instead of a brush, a pencil, or a sculptors chisel as soon as anyone from the art world hears the word "Photography" they instantly switch off and label me simply a "Photographer" and conversely those that consider themselves a "Real photographer" do not take you seriously unless you are producing images of little birdies, landscapes and weddings so I find myself in a little bit of a predicament.
In my works I have set out to try and change this paradigm by creating something unique and unusual to show that photography and art can indeed meet and even co exist, to prove once and for all to the traditionalists and the nay sayers that photographic art does exist and its very much here for you to enjoy.
Being a Pagan artist much of my works are based on Pagan and environmental issues though I have approached many subjects with my art and this continues to evolve all the time.
The way in which I have set out to try and change the view of photography within the world of art is to combine my creative process with my photography skill, when I am creating a new piece I do not set out with my camera to some idyllic location find something of interest press the shutter release and then process the hell out of the image.
My creative process starts long before the camera is in hand for which the inspiration can come from anywhere , a phrase, a song lyric, history , environmental disasters, politics and so on it really can just appear in my crazy mind from the most unlikely of places.
My artworks can take hours ,days or even weeks to plan and prepare prior to set up before the final moment of creation, To achieve my desired goal I use much more than a camera and some imagination I use backdrops, varied lighting, fire, water, varied chemicals , smoke , props, dirt and so on the list is endless.
when I create my works they are created alongside a strong underlying narrative that goes hand in hand with what I am producing and yet in the art itself creates impact and emotion from the offset without really needing to read the accompanying narrative.
The definition of art as published in the Oxford English Dictionary -:
"The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power"
-: "Typically in a visual form"
My works and the process used are most certainly a "Visual Form" and for certain contain an "Emotional Power" as laid out in the official definition.
And so my struggle for acceptance within the echelons of the art world continue.