The Expansion of Photography

Photography was first recognized in magazines and periodicals as a creative form of expression in the United States during the late 19th century. As such, this medium, which was new and very modern at the time, was explored by photographers and developed as a new art form. American photographers Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) and Edward Steichen (1879-1973) are considered the pioneers who established photography as a photographic art in museums and galleries, and it was recognized as an art form. For example, in 1905, Alfred Stieglitz founded the “291” gallery in New York, which exclusively exhibited avant-garde art in the form of photographs, paintings, and sculptures.

With a focus on all things modern, after 1920, the zeitgeist developed into clearly reproduced images. For example, the hazy period of paintings and blurred photographs of early photography was left behind, and the trend shifted towards landscape photography (such as that of Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, etc.). Art forms such as Cubism greatly influenced photography and were continued by people such as Bernd and Hilla Becher.

Photography moved out of the portrait studio and into the outdoors, developing into landscape and architectural photography. However, the most significant areas of application at the time were fashion photography and photojournalism. Viewers of photographs saw these new, clear and objective reflections of reality as an enjoyable form of documentation in magazines and periodicals.

As a result, some photographers began to use photography for purposes beyond simple reportage and documentation. It increasingly came to be understood as a visual instrument of expression. However, it would be several decades before photography received the recognition as an art form that it deserved. From 1930 onwards, after studying painting, the French pioneer Henri Cartier-Bresson devoted himself to photography. As was common at the time, he began his career by chronicling numerous travels.

As such, like many photographers, he focused on the most perfect image composition possible. It is known that Cartier Bresson always took advantage of the full negative format and minimized the associated loss of quality. His Leica camera was always used with the standard 50mm lens. In 1947, Cartier Bresson presented the Museum of Modern Art in New York with a major retrospective of his own work.

Modernity

This milestone in photography is not the only one that can be considered art. The modern era places a significant value on photographs from that period. For this reason, the well-archived negatives of previous master photographers are not accessible to the public, and the works available on the market are rare and expensive.

With all the possibilities of today's digital photography, including digital image processing, however, there are many more opportunities for creative engagement in the field of photography. The term “art” alone gives today's photographers as much space as they need, even to sell their photos. If we look at the renowned Düsseldorf School of Photography, for example, we can see that the new objectivity shaped by Becher can be enhanced by the current art of digital image processing.

However, the main point of discussion is what is permissible and what is not. Traditionalists see a danger in digital processing for perfectly created, handcrafted works of art, at least insofar as it goes beyond the scope of digital image development. Today's avant-gardists work without restrictions and combine all the creative and technical possibilities of photography available to their work, often producing results that have little or nothing in common with objectivity or reality.

Conclusion

Many viewers of today's photographic art simply say: “I could have done that!” From an objective point of view, this is a very vague statement. Because today, since manual skills are not required to create an image, anyone can create a work of art.

Where is the key to success now? True art is that which convinces the public that an image is a work of art. In this sense, being a trained photographer is not a guarantee of success; it requires a network in the art scene and curators who can call someone an “artist”. Of course, this also determines the demand.

Since the early 19th century, photography has developed into a recognized art form. Based on this, the phrase “art comes from skill” is of utmost importance when thinking about what it contains. Therefore, photography can be considered art when it is used as a means of creative expression and conveys a message, provoking thoughts and emotions.
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