British Celebs Answer the Question: "Is Photography an Art?"

YouTube channel Sky Arts runs a regular segment called "The Unspoken Truth" where British celebrities provide their candid opinions on various topics. In this episode, the celebrities answer the question, "Is photography an art?"

If you take pride in what you do while holding a camera, these opinions may leave you shaking your head.

However, the video got me thinking. Anyone with a DLSR can set their camera into "P" mode and take a technically correct, eye-pleasing image with even a modest amount of creativity and luck thrown in. No, it's not going to happen every time, but it's much easier to take a good picture (even via inexperienced luck) than it is to create a comparably captivating oil painting from an equally inexperienced artist.

In the example above, technology has made the job of creating a decent image much easier; using "P" mode might be akin to using a paint-by-numbers canvas, thereby making "art" easier to create. There's nothing wrong with that, but it has led to a devaluation of photography as an artistic endeavor.

I think a photographer's work transcends into the art realm when they consistently produce images that captivate and intrigue those who gaze upon their work. That audience could number in the hundreds or it could simply be the sum of a photographer's close friends and family.

But at the end of the day, does it matter whether or not photography is considered an art in general? I don't think it does. What matters is the fulfillment a photographer experiences while creating his or her images. Whether it's an art form or simply snapshots is irrelevant as long as the camera fills a positive role in the photographer's life. [Sean]

What do you think about photography as an art form?

Posted: 6/8/2015 8:20:26 AM ET   Posted By: Sean
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