Photography, between the technician and the artist ....

"View from the Window at Le Gras" 

The first photograph taken

by Niépce in 1826 Nicéphore

After the weekend, during which time I have had many moments to think about different aspects of photography, and reading a little about and others, I have again raised, as I think at some point it has a photographer, to what extent the picture, depends on the technique, and even that since this technique is no longer craft to become art.

According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy of Language, art in its second meaning is: "Expression of human activity through which he expresses a personal vision and selfless real or imagined plays with plastic resources, linguistic or sound. "and according to this technique is the same dictionary: "A set of procedures and resources serving a science or an art."

Daguerreotype of
Edgar Allan Poe (1848)
taken by W.S. Hartshorn

Analyzing the expression of art, I do believe that photography is, on the other hand I also believe that by either photograph or other means of expression all require techniques. perhaps the picture is more technical art as it is impossible to conceive that if the cameras.

It is for this number of reasons, for which I can not understand the conflict that even today there are between these two visions, while it is true that over time the picture has been simplified, especially in its most technical aspects slowly growing community have been doing a lot more complex. But after all they are two aspects are complementary.

Photo by José María Mellado

What I actually raises the simplification of the technique is that it is artistic photography, but he who is able to do, ie a picture a technically correct, may be a good card, or an excellent document, but an artistic , we may come to convey a message.

It is true that today, the photographic images populate the Internet, but few of these images offer us new aspects of communication, the truth is that in the network, replicas abound that one copies and effects. On the other hand, it is true that the network has access to the thousands of creative work being developed, so in my humble opinion, the creation as an act and photography as part of creation, we offer a message art can be considered depending on the intent of those who stand behind the technical apparatus.

Finally, a quote by an author that I consider of great influence, both in the photograph, as in the art world.

"Copying is human, to create is divine" 

 Man Ray                                           .

Articulo en español