Visual expression is very important for me because an image is worth much more than words. When reading a book people also make mental images and even films are made based on the novels. I am very intrigued by photography and it is my passion. The notion that I will capture a moment in time is somewhat magical for me. Since the development of digital photography it has become easier to make quality photos. However, every true artist likes to use the old techniques as well. Developing photos will never be outdated. Black and white photography will also have visual impact in the future as well as in the past. Some people call it retro, but it is classic.
What has been established through generations can only be improved. Photography was not always considered an art form, but nowadays it certainly is. It is applied art. The purpose of the artist is to create photographs that provoke questions. The audience is expected to search for the answers by research, free association or through conversations with other viewers who appreciate art. It is usually best to share opinions because it enriches one’s own horizons and way of thinking.
The main question is why do people make art. It fulfills the human soul. That would be the best answer. It is aesthetically purposeful and also has a function as the evidence of human creativity for future generations. People have to leave mark behind them. It is not about vanity. All the great masters had an inner urge to create so that they would satisfy their souls. That is also the way I feel. As photography is my passion, I can enjoy creating photographs for indefinite amounts of time without getting tired. Even when I sleep I dream of my next projects.
When we are talking about prehistoric times when food and shelter were most important, people were also painting on the walls of the caves. Some of them had magical meanings. They would paint an animal which they wanted to kill in order to benefit from its remains. They would eat the meat and use its skin and fur. However, it was not the only function of these paintings. It is the first form of art. They have aesthetic value even today and they will have it for all eterenity. Most of those paintings are very well done artistically.
It is similar with photography. I make photographs because I want to capture a specific moment in time. I express my individuality by doing it. There are many techniques that I had to learn and that I am still learning but I have the will to become one of the best artists in my field. Photography is a relatively modern art form, since it is dependant on technology and tehcnological development, but there certainly is a parallel between the cave paintings and modern photography. Both of these art forms are representing the current state of humanity.
I would like to point out to the fact that everybody can be creative in many ways, but for me, the visual arts are the best means of expression.
I can relate to these works of art because they are express so much feelings. “Bison with the turned head” is something I find very expressive since it is a photograph of the art work of a Paleolithic artist. There are two important things here, the actual figure and the photographer. The other painting is also a photograph of a painting, and it depicts everyday life of prehistoric people just as photography depicts modern life and trends today. When I make a photograph of workers coming out from a factory for example it is the same as this painting which represents women and children herding animals.
Another point that comes after food and shelter is reproduction and sexuality. People also depict that in their works of art. That means that everything that is related to human is inspirational enough to become immortalized. People like to leave traces of their existence. It is important for the continuous progress of human race.
This is “Venus of Willendorf” and it served as the ritual for fertility. Today, the magazines are full of photographs of stars with curves as well. The first fertility icon was this Venus and the most famous was certainly Marilyn Monroe. Even today wide hips are considered to be the proof of fertility even though it is not scientifically proven. That is the relation between Paleolithic and Neolithic times and modern times. Nowadays, the magazines are full of photographs of Jennifer Lopez for example and in the ancient times, the descendant of such voluptuous women was the famous Venus.
Photography certainly has connections with religion as well. Throughout history people have depicted deities and worshipped gods through art, by making sculpture or painting. It is also the matter of mortality and immortality. People are not mortal because they are spiritual. The residues of their spirituality are their works of art. They make them immortal. It is the same with photography because there have been many styles of photography through history. There was also the case in the Victorian era when the deceased people were photographed along with the live ones. It was a trend at that time. No matter whether that is morally right or wrong, it is the evidence of the culture of those times.
This is the painting of Mohammed’s Ascent into Heaven. It is the way he is immortalized. photography serves for immortalizing people while they are still alive. That is the trait that people have always had. They couldn’t make a photograph of their deities, but they could immortalize themselves through photography. That is why people like to take pictures of themselves their whole lives and to cherish their special family moments. It will also pass on to next generations and they will not be forgotten.
This is an Egyptian noble man hunting in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife. However, modern men are spiritual as well. Photography is certainly one of the best ways to make them immortal and to show their preferences in life. Even nowadays, photographs are taken at weddings, christenings as well as funerals.
Works cited
Lazzari, Margaret, and Dona Schlesier. Exploring Art, A Global, Thematic Approach. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Szarkowski, John. The Photographer’s Eye. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2007. Print.
