Creating a Fine Art Photo Is Not About Showing What You See

This artistic photograph in black and white is not about the tree. The consequences of the interpretation of this photo is the ultimate goal of this creation.

The Grass is not Always Greener in the Neighbor

Many photographers think that the grass is greener on the neighbor’s side of the fence. These people choose to seek inspiration thousands of kilometers from their own region. However, one consequence of such actions is that the photographic subjects are so extraordinary they alone speak for themselves and they may not accurately portray how the artist is feeling.

Two mistakes are made in this situation.

The first mistake is that one does not have to rely on a certain location because there is a specific subject or scene present. The location must be chosen because it corresponds to the transmitted emotions and messages.

The second mistake is that most subjects are close to home. When I speak of proximity, I am referring to a few kilometers or a few hundred kilometers. It is not necessary to fly to find the perfect subject or scene.

Why do many photographers look for subjects so far away? Many answers are possible. Perhaps these photographers feel a need to prove to their audience of the gravity of their devotion for exceptional journeys. Showing exotic destinations is a way to ensure social status by saying "I can afford this trip and you cannot". This unpleasant attitude makes an artistic photographer unworthy of his or her name.

An artist photographer should not care whether their status is above or below others. The photographer should develop an artistic sensibility that honestly portrays his or her essence, emotions, and beliefs.

During my nature photography courses, I frequently explain to my trainees that the most important thing is to ponder the world around me. There are hidden treasures in the ordinary that are far more numerous than those found on distant adventures.

Never Limit Your Photographs to the Present Scene

The best advice I can give to nature photographers who wish to develop an artistic style is to always strive for what is beyond the present scene or subject being photographed.

A scene is only a support for transmitting emotions or feelings or for creating a conceptual photo. If you shoot a scene for what it is, you create a descriptive photo that will be used for a news page or stock purchase. It can also be used to explain to your friends or family what a lovely trip you made.

To create a good artistic picture, you must already know yourself well. You must define what you want to translate in your photo. Once on the field, you will choose the photographic elements, the framing, and the composition to better express yourself.

When you are facing a scene, you must immerse yourself in the environment. A connection between the setting and the artist must occur. I often use the phrase "connecting with the invisible". I focus on the atmosphere. You must immerse yourself in the atmosphere. You must soak up its sensations, scents, sights, and ambient noises. You must not think about the rest of the world. Instead, you must focus on the elements that are in front of you, whether they are visible or not. Then you can start triggering your device to create photographs with a lasting impact.

This is not an easy practice as it requires great concentration and a state of mind. However, for me, it's the only method that works well.

Chance Creates an Unknown “Special Something”

In a previous paragraph I mentioned that I only photograph that which I know well. It's a proven fact. It is for this reason that the first trip is priceless for an artistic photographer. In the first experiences of a location, a recognition is established in the memory that will last for decades.

Managing to create outstanding artistic photographs in an unknown place is rare. However, it is not impossible. When the unexpected occurs, I hold true to my theory of the luck factor, which I discussed in this article.

Luck is indefinable. But one thing is certain. It is by taking the plunge on the ground that one can encourage fortune so that when it occurs, all the elements of the scene are set up to discover an excellent artistic photo, even before the photographer has prepared. But it is necessary to master the technique and know immediately what one will do artistically with the scene.

This is where the experience of the photographer comes in and the famous state of mind that I have evoked. When luck smiles, you must be ready. It does not occur twice.

Helping the Viewer

When an artistic photograph is exhibited in a gallery or at an exhibition, it is not always easy for a viewer to understand or perceive all the emotional nuances placed in the image by the author of the photograph. I think it is necessary to help the viewer better understand the messages and emotions behind the photograph.

Although it is a little contradictory to the saying, "a photograph is better than a thousand words", it is the field of descriptive or illustrative photography that requires the author of the photograph to guide the viewer to a more complete understanding.

Indeed, the explicit photography of a scene describing a current event can sometimes tell much more than the text accompanying it.

Since artistic photography is not descriptive, but more emotional or conceptual, it is interesting to provide some lines of text to explain context, atmosphere, or facts that lead to the creation of a work.

An explanation allows viewers to immediately connect to the photographic elements and imagine a story. They will then take ownership of the photographic work.

It is also for this reason that I always display my work on my website, in exhibitions, or in my biography. It allows people to better understand my personality and my artistic approach when context is provided.

Finally

To understand that the object of an artistic photograph is not the photographed subject, but the consequences generated, is an essential concept to develop an interesting photographic vision. I must always strive to journey beyond the scenes of nature.

Nature is a source of inspiration. The elements should be used to express the emotions felt from such inspiration.

Be humble, patient, constant, persevering, and persistent because the road to excellence is long.

One of the Goals of your Fine Art Photos Is to Translate your Emotions

When I create an artistic photograph of nature, I remind myself that what is important is not the scene in front of me, rather, it is the emotional effect produced by those who experience it. The scene in front of me lasts but a moment, whereas the effects produced can continue to impact a viewer for quite some time. Above all things, an artistic photograph is influenced by the mindset of the artistic photographer.

This article will help you understand how to implement a new tool in your photography toolbox. By implementing it, you will make your photos even more interesting and instill in them true meaning.

The subject of this artistic photograph of a young gelada is not essential. The consequences of the interpretation of this photo is the ultimate goal of this creation.

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Translating Emotions and Conveying Messages

When I create an artistic photograph of a terrestrial or aquatic landscape or animal, I focus on its representation. I do not focus on things as they are, but on what they emotionally represent.

For example, when I look at a tree, I do not see a plant, but the witness of time passing. For me, a symbolic waterfall physically shows time flowing in one moment. Geological formations and their photographed reflections on water represent forgotten paradises and hidden worlds.

For me, most of my artistic photographs are symbolic.

I always photograph to express myself and to transmit my emotions to those who encounter my works. Artistic photography is a great medium of expression, which I discussed in this article.

I believe that before I undertake a series of photos, it is important to imagine the polished results. If I arrive on a scene without preconceptions, I will not be able to create interesting photographs.

The Precise Destination or Animal Species is Irrelevant

When I travel far from home to create artistic photographs for my collections, I do not choose places or species because they are distant or exotic.

I make these choices because they correspond to what I seek to show. They accurately portray my emotions or how I feel.

For example, lately I have been photographing gelada in the mountains of northern Ethiopia. This animal species best characterizes how I wish to portray anthropomorphism. I did not choose this trip just for the sake of flying and meeting the Ethiopians (although I do love travelling and creating new relationships), however, this specific trip’s purpose was to capture images that best fit my vision.

Using Photographed Subjects as Sources of Inspiration

Since my transition from descriptive and illustrative photography to the creation of art prints, I have understood one essential fact: The subjects or scenes I am photographing are not the goals of my photographs. They are my source of inspiration. Even if I place direct focus on them in the scene by carefully choosing framing and compositions, and balancing the masses, my goal is to use them to share messages and emotions.

To reach this conclusion, it took time. I spent years in periods of reflection and introspection. I had to understand and analyze who I was exactly. I worked a lot on the definition of my emotions and the messages that I wanted to transmit through my photographs.

This was difficult because it required deep searching for my own buried emotions from specific experiences. It was a true psychological analysis which I conducted myself with the few tools I had at my disposal. This introspective research allowed me to define my artistic vision. Today, I still respect this definition of my vision. It belongs only to me.

Once this vision was coupled with my photographic style, I defined my artistic and photographic identity. I concede that it is a difficult and time-consuming step, which is essential to creating interesting photographic works.

Indeed, these works are personal and subjective, which I described in this article. They attract an authentic audience that is faithful to me because my style is recognized in my artistic photographs.

Today, when I choose a scene or an animal species to photograph, I always have a specific goal in mind that is related to my vision. I use my style to highlight it and translate my messages.

Nature is my true source of inspiration, rather than the subject of my photographs.

Having the Right Mindset for Subject Inspiration to Spark

To create an interesting and expressive artistic photography, I believe that I must be in a specific state of mind that is conducive to understanding the present scene.

It is essential to develop a connection with places through experiences so that the memories are not based on sight alone. The setting must be physically experienced and understood through all the senses. A photographic scene must be comprehended beyond what it looks like. The artist must experience it.

When this connection is established, a magic moment occurs. Emotions haunt me. I can write about these experiences as the memories flood back. I must truly “write what I feel” with each photograph.

When it is mastered, this photographic technique becomes an excellent service to incorporate. I use everything I have learned to sublimate what I see into messages or emotions.

This state of mind is not limited to when I are active on the field. It can be well prepared before the exact moment of photographic creation.

For example, when I photograph birds in the Dombes, I question my motives for choosing this region to photographically capture such animals. I impart meaning to the colors surrounding the subject. I think of the hours spent in using floating blinds on the trip. For each idea, I write key words and short sentences to describe my emotions. Then, I organize these ideas to construct a scenario that will guide me throughout the creative discovery process of my project. Once I have embarked on my journey, I keep this scenario in mind. I allow my imagination to wander the designated location while distinctly remembering certain moments with great care and attention to detail.

The intellectual approach that I have just mentioned requires a solid knowledge of the locations that will be used in the photographic process. I believe that I only photograph that which I know well.

When I first visit an unknown place, I research books, magazines, and internet articles. With the informational elements I discover through my research, I create an ideal scenario for my first experience. However, I know that creative results improve with time spent returning to the same location. It is true that the best things in life improve with age, and this often applies with art.