art
A snapshot of photography as an art form; explore art museums and galleries devoted to photography, iconic photographers, the history of fine art photography and more.
The Shot
Blinking against the driving sleet which was making contact with her eyes, she took another deep breath to steady her nerves, trying not to flinch as her fingers made contact with the freezing cold metal. She was unsuccessful in avoiding the wind as it stung her face with its brutal strength, but grateful that the camouflaged jacket from her army days acted as a wind shield and protected her body from fast falling freezing sleet. She had been in the same position for half an hour and her body had started to cry out in protest as each limb ached and her feet felt like slabs of ice, even though she had her Dr Martens on; but still, she was determined to continue with her mission.
By Michelle Bridges8 years ago in Photography
Nostalgia
The sky held a heavy overcast, clouds came in the shades ranging from close to steel gray and some a misty serene white. The wind blew briskly, making the leaves and debris skip across the road and the sidewalk. The trees swayed and rustled, shedding their leaves and an occasional thud of a pinecone falling. People stood out on their balconies, witnessing the storm that hung over our tiny town and watching the developments of the stages. The sky held a faint orange glow, dust was swirling in the air. The musty but sweet smell of rain and wet earth hung in the air. Monsoon season came every year around this time. For our dry town, it seemed a rare occasion to be paid its respects. My grandparents sat on their swinging bench, my grandma slowly rocking the seat back and forth gently. Her legs swung slightly. The silent ringing from the windchimes twinkled, filling the atmosphere with a quiet melody. I could see my grandma smiling, my grandpa staring at her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on her wasted cheek. It was truly a sight that could be explained as the most genuine display of affection. I sat inside, hearing the fan meekly swing in the living room. The silence caused an empty echo in my ears, a slight ringing. I twirled one of the strings to my worn out grey Old Navy sweater, biting my lip. The flowers on the dining room table sat in a dreamy glow from the dust storm, I stood up slowly. The floorboards creaked with every step I took. I made my way up the stairs, and down the hallway towards my bedroom. I pushed my door open as I reached my hand to my black Canon camera. My fingers twitched with the sort of familiar adrenaline. I saw the world in the art of simplicity. I went back downstairs, the house moaning silently as the wind picked up. I paused by the dining room table. I slightly crouched, I carefully angled the camera and caught the light casting upon the dull pink daisies. The sound of the click as I captured the picture was the only sound that filled the house for a split second. I peeked towards the living room, my grandpa held his head back as he laughed. I smiled. The sliding glass door leading to the porch creaked as I pulled it open. My grandparents turned to look at me, the smiles still worn on their faces. I nodded and smiled at them. My grandma smiled as she scooted across the bench, patting it gently as she beckoned me to come to sit with her and grandpa. I felt the camera slightly bump every step I took down the steps against my chest. "Did you take any good pictures granddaughter?" I nodded, as I pulled up the picture I had taken in the dining room of the pink daisies. She smiled. I turned to her as I asked her if I could take a picture of her. She insisted that she was not picture ready, but I swore to her it would not be a portrait. She stood up, smoothing out her dress. The dark navy blue color contrasted against her delicate pale fingers. Her wedding ring stood out, a thick white gold band with a diamond encrusted in the middle. I ran inside, my grandmother calling after me to be careful. I pulled the daisies from the vase gently. I made my way back to her, handing her the daisies as I instructed her to hold them. She gave me a questioning look but did as I asked. I looked across their backyard, leaves littered the ground and set a good background. I pointed in the direction of where I had wanted my grandmother to stand. She cocked her head and held out her arm to me, as we made our way to her designated area. She stood limply, and I assured her for the hundredth time the picture would not involve her face. I felt my boots sink into the earth as I stood, holding the camera over the tulips. I carefully posed my grandmother, as I rearranged a few daisies to make the bouquet look full. I focused the camera lens on the flowers, and with a breath, took the picture. It was perfect, it had captured the beauty of old age holding onto the youth of the flowers. The beauty of old and new. I had captured the beauty of both. Grandmother leaned forward to admire the picture. I could hear her breath getting slower, her stray gray hair tickling my cheek. She looked at me with her grey eyes, smiling. "I do not know how you do it, but you always manage to get beauty as she shows." I blushed, I knew this picture would be a keeper, I wrapped my arms around her neck, and for a moment, I felt the world settle around us as we held each other. From one youthful heart to another wise soul, I could tell you there was no perfect way to settle the moment we had.
By Kasey Mitchell8 years ago in Photography
A Shot in the Dark: My Crazy Night Sky Photography Story. Top Story - July 2018.
Basically, this is the story of a lucky shot. To begin, let's go back a few years. First of all, I am far from a pro-photographer. I shoot on a DSLR, for which I only have one lens. But I am an aspiring photographer. Over the past year or two, I have been learning more and more about photography, not to mention falling in love with it. Also, I am a stargazer by nature so night sky photography has always intrigued me. I remember being in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a couple years ago, gazing mesmerized at the star-filled sky. This was not long after I bought my first DSLR, and I figured I could use it to snap a quick photo of the beautiful sky. I turned it on and pointed it towards the sky, in auto mode. To my dismay, the blurry picture that resulted hardly captured any of the millions of pinpoints of light I could see with my eyes. This was my first experience with "night sky photography."
By Reese Marie8 years ago in Photography
Best Pet Photographers on Instagram To Follow
No matter who you are, what you do, or what you're interested in, there will never be a day that can't be improved by looking at adorable photos of pets. Think about it. How can you hate an adorable animal? You can't!
By Iggy Paulsen8 years ago in Photography
Photos + My Library
I'm a surfer. An environmentalist. A writer. And last, and most importantly; a photographer. I've had a camera in my hand since day 1, and I've never known anything different. Yes, I am a Gen Z'er—so I've never known anything different than digital; the curse of this generation and the epitome of instant gratification. But it doesn't mean that I don't know what film photography is. I actually own 2 film cameras and have been learning to use them recently.
By Lauren Day8 years ago in Photography
Abandoned Belfast—'Parklands'
Parklands now: The site is eerily tranquil and calm despite its location, and nature has most definitely started to take over—not only were the cherry blossom trees which are dotted about the grounds flourishing during the writer's visit, ivy is gradually seeping into the vacant building. Birdsong has replaced the sounds of busy everyday life which must once have filled the area and this, along with the signs of nature thriving without limitations, is in stark contrast to the bleak look of the building itself.
By Juliet W8 years ago in Photography
The Mystery in a Photo
Have you ever looked at a photograph with curiosity? Standing looking down at the little square full of amazing colorful scenes; letting the imagination run wild and free; taking in every single object; thinking of the picture as though it is a new exciting adventure; wondering what magical creature hides behind one of the objects—the creature that is hiding in wait to pull you in is the photograph itself. The photograph is trying to tell the person seeing it a story in a different way.
By Shelly Bartley8 years ago in Photography
The Many Faces of Flowers
The beauty of flowers is that no matter the angle you photograph them at, they are still beautiful. Yes, I know that everything has been done before when it comes to photographing flowers but it's not about everyone else, it is about you (the photographer). Flower photography can force you to strengthen your creative side and your soft side. For example, in the photo above may not be an amazing photo but in my eyes, I can imagine the three flowers morphing into some flower zombie with its arms swaying out in front of it. We all get stuck in a non-healthy cycle of work and get bombarded with stress and depression. Because of this, I recommend that you take a few minutes out of your day and photograph flowers, rather you use a camera or a phone, the goal is to spark your imagination and to help lower stress. For example, I am a full-time graduate student and in the middle of writing all of my 5,000 page papers I find that a 15 minute walk tends to help relax my mind and get me past my writer's block.
By Richard Rymer8 years ago in Photography
Best Street Photographers to Follow on Instagram
Compared to other types of photography, street photography is a whole new world. It's nothing like nature photography where you get the same idea: taking photos of flowers, rivers, mountains. No, for street photography, there are an unlimited amount of ways you can capture anything on photo. Since the streets of a city are always changing, the people are unique, the atmosphere is diverse, and the city is the perfect place for street photographers to play in.
By Jacqueline Hanikeh8 years ago in Photography
Best Landscape Photographers to Follow on Instagram
We're easily mesmerized by the stunning landscapes this world has. From sunsets in the horizon to the ocean sights, mountain views, and even outlooks from deep in the forest, we're constantly reminded how beautiful the works of nature are. And it's sad that we're not always appreciating nature, but recalling it when seeing photos of landscapes. There are photographers out there who perfectly capture the most stunning moments in nature and post them on their social media for all viewers to be as astonished as they were when taking them.
By Jacqueline Hanikeh8 years ago in Photography
Why Printing Your Photos Can Make You a Better Photographer
It's no surprise that photographers have a huge passion in taking photos and are constantly inspired by their surroundings. They'll take a bunch of photos, pick their most favorite ones, and edit them... and sometimes leave them in their computer. It's true, so many photographers don't bother printing out their best works. They'll post them on their social media, put them in their online portfolio, and that's it. Many of them don't even feel like printing out their photos.
By Lilliana Backman8 years ago in Photography
