Fine Art Photography

Minimalist photography is all about removing all the distractions so the eye focuses solely on the subject. But what does it take to make a minimalist photo? 

It's always nice to capture a subject in its purest form, presenting it powerfully. However, shooting an abstract photo can turn an ordinarily drab subject into a work of art.

Luminar software from Skylum has had a tremendous impact with many photo editors, bringing a lot of Photoshop and Lightroom-esque features along with some one-of-a-kind capabilities like one-click sky replacement and AI-based features for landscape and portrait photographers. 

Stop worrying so much about your skills, and learn to think creatively. That was my favorite piece of advice from photographer and artist Pauline Goyard. 

I recently used one of my quarantine nights to create an art project for myself. A few weeks ago the rules were stricter about staying home and I used it as an opportunity to expand my own skills and vision.  I encourage photographers who are stuck at home either because of the quarantine or protest curfews to push their limits and try new things. 

For many, the name "Minecraft" evokes images of 12-year-olds toiling away in a cube-like virtual world. The image is surely foreign to much of our readership.

While people’s physical health has been hard to ignore, the impact of the global pandemic on mental wellbeing is definitely being felt, but often goes unseen and undocumented. One artist’s project has evolved under lockdown, giving a means of expressing how mental health may affect us long after the stay-at-home orders have been lifted. 

Long exposure photography is a fascinating discipline. It can be used in many ways and to great effect if you want to bring some mood and mystery into your photography. 

Scotiabank’s Contact Photography Festival is one of the biggest photography festivals in the world. This year, in the wake of COVID-19, it’s going to be run online. If you’re looking for inspiration, this is where to go.

Contact’s mission statement is certainly aspirational:

If like so many of us you find yourself at home with a lot of time on your hands, consider using that time to experiment with different art papers and print some of your favorite images from your hard drives. 

Despite museums, galleries, and cooperatives temporarily shuttering due to the coronavirus crisis, cultural institutions are finding ways to allow audiences to view their curated displays. One such establishment in Denver, Colorado has generously uploaded its 180-artist collection for viewers to peruse online. 

Printing is hard. Rather, printing well is hard. It's been a little bit science. It's been a little bit art. Trying to make digital prints look like traditional darkroom prints is even harder still. But is it possible? 

Spending your Covid-19 isolation time working on your business now could mean art sales later. Seattle-based Fine Art Photographer Jason Matias, who runs a program that helps artists sell their art, has a few tips for how to go about snagging those sales. 

The words “fine art” have got to be some of the most misused and abused in photography. For a term that is pretty much meaningless, it’s quite impressive. 

When you're looking to have your work printed for display on your own wall, in your client's home, or in a gallery you have a myriad of choices and formats that you can print on. Today I'm taking a close look at one option, the brushed metal print. 

Before you click the shutter, you likely think about shutter speed and aperture. You likely think about what you want the image to look like. But, do you imagine it displayed? When you shoot, do you take the time to think about what the finished product will be?  

Optical printing is a dirty and time-consuming process. The chemicals involved in printing are bad for you and bad for the environment. Digital printing hasn’t changed much of this impact for the better. The chemicals used to treat photographic printer paper aren’t great for the environment. The paper itself uses a significant amount of resources to cultivate.

If you're ready to check out a few more fantasy portrait photographers, then you're in the right place. This time around, the goal is to find and highlight a few folks that you're probably not already following but are definitely worth a look. 

I reviewed the newly revived Nik Collection in June. It was nice to have the collection back, after Google bought it and then let it sit idle. Now it's been sold to DXO, and it's compatible with the latest PC and Mac operating systems.

Call it a personal project or way of finding the calm again in photographs, lately I've been shooting a portrait style “sad flower” collection and I love it. Check out the how and why and if it tickles your fancy you can give it a try too. 

I am lucky enough to have hosted or been a part of workshops around the world. One thing I teach in my workshops is that photographers should not look at other photography to be inspired. 

One thing many of us struggle with in our journeys as photographers and filmmakers is finding what we want to say and then expressing it effectively through our chosen medium. In this short documentary about Dutch photographer Viviane Sassen, we get a look into what informs a photographers choice of subject matter and method of expression.  

When it comes to a handmade fine art paper, this is one that absolutely does not mess around, and with the right image, it can stop a viewer dead in their tracks. In fact, it's so serious that this paper is sold by the individual sheet. 

Based on feedback I received about my article investigating the most expensive photobooks ever sold, I reached out to the two largest auction houses in the World to provide a more authoritative list of photobooks sold at auction. What do you expect to see in this list?

In the modern world, very few of us take the time to slow down and really explore the best possible expression of a subject. With much of the photography industry being results focused in the fast-moving market we live in and even personal work being shared directly to social media for instant gratification, very few of us take the time to photograph a laundromat for six months.  

Infrared photography can reveal an eye-opening world of visual wonders, one that will continue to surprise you with its possibilities. And you might be surprised by its affordability. 

Anya Anti is an internationally published photo artist from the Ukraine who now lives in the Big Apple. If you have never seen her work, you are missing out on a whole series of quirky, interesting, and fantastical images that stir up emotion and imagination. 

Couples photography has become more popular in the boudoir industry. It is a way to connect, interact and photograph moments between a couple to give a glimpse into their relationship. Although what happens when the couple is a pair of complete strangers?  A professional photographer based in Oklahoma City, Ore Adesina specializes in couples boudoir photography.

If you’re into photography and you’re into galleries, I’m confident you’ve heard of New York’s MoMa, Toronto’s AGO, and London’s Tate Modern. But what about some of the lesser known galleries that are often given short shrift in favor of the bigger iconic galleries?

One might think the vibrant colors of sea life would make color a non-negotiable in underwater photography. But photographer Christian Vizl produced some of the most compelling images of ocean life I’ve ever seen — and they’re all black-and-white. 

Did you ever want to get into the prestigious and often lucrative world of selling your photos as fine art limited edition prints, but didn't know where to start? In this video, learn how you can get started in the fine art world of photography and start making money with your photography today.  

When you've decided to print your work and you're looking for the right paper, your options are near endless. If you know that you're wanting strong contrast and rich color representation, then take a look at this paper from Hahnemühle. 

People are constantly visiting me here in Arizona, and wanting me to point out the best places to take photos. Of course everyone wants to hit the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and maybe Horseshoe Bend. 

They are all glorious places, but I try to argue my photo friends out of those locations for two key reasons: they are crowded and over-photographed. 

Some photos look like paintings. Not because they have some dreadful filter or effect applied, but because their use of light and composition is ethereal. In this video, Vinny Le Pes breaks down what is happening in these incredible images. 

Has it been a while since you got back to your photography roots with a creative shoot just for you? Sometimes, we need to hang up the business hat and get back to what makes us feel happy and creative. Here's some inspiration. 

Capturing an image is one of many steps in the process of putting together a photographic body of work. While titling your images is not obligatory, if you are thinking of exhibiting them or submitting to competitions, then this can be an important step. Although this can sometimes seem daunting, it need not be. If you’ve struggled with this, then read on.

The venerable East Coast photography exhibition makes it first trip to the West Coast. 

For many of us, the tragic event at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris served as a stark reminder of how fragile and delicate the remnants of our human past can be. Whether globally historic or personally sentimental, we are all connected to the past.

As we've been discovering over the past few months, there are many options and choices when it's time to print your artwork. Today's paper is a rock star when it comes to unique yet subtle texture and really works wonders with your muted color palettes, so let's check it out. 

I recently heard about three Puerto Rican photographers who would go out and shoot casually as friends. But, what made them unique was that these three photographers specialized in three completely different genres of photography.  

What makes an image evolve from a great piece of art to a masterpiece? Is the value of an image defined by the ability to see every detail, or is it the intention and where those details are and aren't where the greatness truly begins and where light and mystery meet? 

At the heart of photography as a medium is a fundamental problem: every photograph is a lie. This slippery instability is often what makes it effective as a tool for communication, but it can also create problems for some of the world’s most respected photographers, including Steve McCurry and, more recently, fine art photographer Tom Hunter. 

When I'm looking for a fine art paper with a crisp, clean, and beautifully tactile feel to it, one of my first thoughts is to turn to the William Turner paper from Hahnemühle. This is without question one of my top five papers that I've seen and printed on thus far, have you tried it yet? 

Fine-art, wildlife, and conservation photographer David Yarrow is on a tier of his own. Watch this video to learn some of Yarrow's methods and techniques to shooting in the wild.  

As photographers, I think we often ponder the next steps we want to take in our photography and in our photographic careers. I've hit that next phase and have been considering my options for exhibiting in a gallery environment. An article by Simon King addresses questions I had for going down that path and has some useful insights for a first-timer. 

Who is the one who gets to to decide what is and what isn't art? Is it the creator or the viewer who determines whether something qualifies or not? 

When you're looking to print something that can really stand out and be unique, you may be wanting something more than a traditional matte or glossy paper. That's where Moenkopi Washi Unryu 55 comes in with a gorgeous texture and feel for your fine art prints. 

Art is a huge form of self expression. We use it to push through a traumatic experience, to pull us out of sadness, or even to express the intense happiness we feel when we are overwhelmed with the beauty that surrounds us. Sometimes, we can also have this same effect on others maybe without even trying . 

The holidays months can bring extra leisure time, and there's nothing more rewarding than spending that free time on a challenging photography project. During last year's fall holidays I decided to turn my available energy into something creative and fun: a pet calendar for 2018.