It's No Different
In the same way that a painting consists of calculated brush strokes and shadings, or in the same way a poem consists of a small but specific percent of all the words in a language in an order precisely chosen by the writer to convey her thoughts, a photograph is a moment from the photographer's life, a moment elected of many to offer a glimpse into the photographer's mind.
In the same way that art ranges from realism to impressionism, a photograph portrays reality as either untouched, slightly edited, or over exaggerated to the point of fantasy. Despite this, photography is not a lie, in the same way that music and dance are not a lies. They are art forms, expressions from the heart, tangible depictions of human imaginations. If film can be considered an art without being ridiculed, then why not photography? A film is simply an extended compilation of photographs.
Perhaps the objections begin in the idea that anyone has easy access to taking photos, therefore a photographer is less inclined to be given the special title of "artist." However, the difference between the ordinary person and the artist lies in purpose and meaning; a selfie taken with a friend on snapchat is just a visual text meant to be sent to friends for little purpose. If it is saved to an album, the purpose rises to become a future invocation of sentimentality. Photography as an art, though, is meant to unfold the artist's thoughts, to tell a hidden story.
In the same way that paintings alter our view of reality, photography influences the way we see the world around us. Oscar Wilde once said, "It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection."
In the same way that art ranges from realism to impressionism, a photograph portrays reality as either untouched, slightly edited, or over exaggerated to the point of fantasy. Despite this, photography is not a lie, in the same way that music and dance are not a lies. They are art forms, expressions from the heart, tangible depictions of human imaginations. If film can be considered an art without being ridiculed, then why not photography? A film is simply an extended compilation of photographs.
Perhaps the objections begin in the idea that anyone has easy access to taking photos, therefore a photographer is less inclined to be given the special title of "artist." However, the difference between the ordinary person and the artist lies in purpose and meaning; a selfie taken with a friend on snapchat is just a visual text meant to be sent to friends for little purpose. If it is saved to an album, the purpose rises to become a future invocation of sentimentality. Photography as an art, though, is meant to unfold the artist's thoughts, to tell a hidden story.
In the same way that paintings alter our view of reality, photography influences the way we see the world around us. Oscar Wilde once said, "It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection."
I really like how you compared photography to other art forms. It really strengthened your points. Also, the Oscar Wilde quote was a nice end to the entire piece because it emphasizes the importance of art, which includes photographs.
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