Photography-Owning Artistry

[Kirk Gittings]

Moving from the Fatali thread.....

Why don't color landscape photographers just own their artistic expression instead of pretending that they are documenting "gods light". Since when does photographing with supersaturated contrasty films and then goosing the color more in a Ciba print qualify as documenting nature?

I was just in Tom Tills gallery in Moab, superb images printed on Ilfochrome with way oversaturated color (so far out of gamut that red flowers were completely blocked) with off register masks etc. More documents of "natures glory"?

When did artistic expression and license become such a liability in color landscape photography? Is photography not an art form?

[Ash]

Kirk I guess it's down to a religious standpoint for some, and a fear of embracing any truly creative spirit for others.

I look at RJ's landscape work and I am stunned. I recall that he's religious but I'm sure he'd take credit for the wonderful images he produces. I'd hope so anyway. I rarely enjoy landscape work and his really is amazing.

Others may seek to document what they believe to be the images created from a higher spirit, and such cannot take credit for the image produced, even if they have manufactured it (through composition, colour balance etc etc).


Maybe I'm just talking rubbish, who knows.



Having checked your site I really enjoy some of your work also. Your landscapes are very dynamic

[Kirk Gittings]

Thanks Ash and I take pride in the fact that my images do not look like what I saw. They are aesthetic interpretations.

[QT Luong]

In nature photography, there is an implicit contract between the viewer and the photographer that the photographer will not depict something that does not exist.

A lot of color landscape photographers consider themselves to be nature photographers.

[roteague]

Since when does photographing with supersaturated contrasty films and then goosing the color more in a Ciba print qualify as documenting nature?

Simply because those films and papers most closely approximate how I see "color" in the natural world, with my own eyes.

[roteague]

In nature photography, there is an implicit contract between the viewer and the photographer that the photographer will not depict something that does not exist.

You hit the proverbial nail right on the head.

[harrykauf]

Simply because those films and papers most closely approximate how I see "color" in the natural world, with my own eyes.

Just because you keep repeating this statement does not make is any less
illogical.

[naturephoto1]

In nature photography, there is an implicit contract between the viewer and the photographer that the photographer will not depict something that does not exist.

A lot of color landscape photographers consider themselves to be nature photographers.

Tuan,

Certainly those of us that do take color landscape photographs are nature photographers for some of our work. I consider myself a nature, landscape, and wildlife photographer. I choose my transparency films for the subject at hand.

Rich

[Kirk Keyes]

Kirk -

Have you seen Christopher Burkett's Ciba work? He prints it himself and is a master of the medium. Here's a gallery that represents him near you:
Andrew Smith Gallery
203 West San Francisco St.
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Tel: 505.984.1234

[Kirk Keyes]

As an athiest, you'll never hear me claim that I've documented "god's light". My religion forbids me from making such claims.