Mastering the Art of Fine Arts Photography -Techniques and Tools to Hone Your Skills

Realism by definition is the “attempt to represent subject matter truthfully without artificiality and avoiding speculative supernatural elements. The term is interchangeably used with naturalism”. Fine Arts photography captures the said realism. It is about portraying aspects that are inclined towards artistic expression and human emotions; it is a juxtaposition of everything that is not easily taken in a literal sense. Fine arts photography is a space that allows photographers to express themselves and be more creative beyond boundaries. The world of fine arts photography is fascinating and worth exploring. In this article, we intend to look closely at the techniques and tools that can help you become an expert fine arts photographer.

Knowing The Kernel of Fine Arts Photography

Fine Arts Photography goes beyond capturing landscapes and portraits. The end results of fine art photography is symbolic and represents a multifold of emotions. An image, through this niche of photography, holds room for much interpretation, thereby expanding its scope for retention and analysis. A viewer gets to perceive different meanings from one image and these perceptions align with individual emotions and feelings. Unlike documentary photography, commercial photography or photojournalism, fine arts photography transcends beyond the literal subject of the photograph. Some of the key elements of fine arts photography are:

- Concept:

The concept can revolve around narratives of emotion, feelings and even social justice

- Emotion

Conveying various emotions; for instance — joy, sorrow, tranquility etc.

- Aesthetic:

The usage of colours, tone, lighting, texture, art, composition and much more.

Tools That Help You With Fine Arts Photography

The equipment and gears used for fine art photography varies from other genres; with regards to minimal usage of tools and impedimenta. The niche does not require you to use a lot of gears and experts recommend one to start with whatever camera one has handy. Based on general consensus here are some of the tools you can integrate into your process:

- Goes without saying; a CAMERA:

A fine arts photographer can use a DSLR camera, mirror — less cameras (both DSLR and mirror — less camera offer high quality images and control over settings), medium format cameras (they provide great detailing and tonal depth) and film cameras (perfect for photography focussing more on aesthetics). Using the right camera that best suits the photographer can help them capture their artistic vision accurately.

- Lenses:

A lens defines the concept and image you intend to capture. One might assume that a lens, despite its type will do the job and that however, is a common misconception. Some of the lenses a fine arts photographer can use are:

a) PRIME LENSES: For great sharpness, shallow depth of field, bokeh effects, larger apertures; 50 MM lenses that are compact and light with F.18 depth of field. One can also use 35 MM and 85 MM lenses

b) TILT — SHIFT LENSES: These lenses allow you to control the plane of focus and equips you with creating better perspectives. It also helps with setting a distinctive depth of field. It can make substantially life — size objects appear miniature.

c) MACRO LENSES: MAcro lenses can capture sharp features of small objects. It has the capability to focus on minute details and textures. For extreme closeups, photographers often use macro lenses that are mostly with a magnification ratio of 1:1.

- Editing Softwares:

Editing and post processing enhances the quality of the images you have captured. Some of the editing softwares a fine arts photographer can try are. Adobe lightroom, photoshop, affinity photo, adobe photoshop elements and much more. Editing is beyond just adjusting colour and tone, it augments the photographer’s artistic perception and vision. Adding textures and layers adds to the beauty of the image captured.

Other elements and accessories one can try are using a good quality tripod, lighting tools like: reflectors, softboxes and diffusers to shape and mould light the way you want. Polarizing filters, ND filters and gradient filters are also accessories that a photographer can integrate.

Techniques That Augment Fine Arts Photography

Long Exposure Photography

The idea behind long exposure photography is to keep the camera shutter open for a while and capture everything while the shutter remains open. It captures the essence of the volatility of time and the movement of elements in the atmosphere; stationery objects remain sharp and acute while moving objects remain a blur. It is the amalgamation of motion and stillness and conveys unconventional meanings up for perception.

Chiaroscuro

The contrast between light and dark aspects of an image, literally and figuratively. These contrasts are strong and bold, formed from the Italian words chiaro and scuro — meaning light and dark respectively. In photography, the chiaroscuro technique is used to highlight the variance between a subject and a potentially dark background. It creates a mysterious perception and adds more depth to the image with a three dimensional illusion.

Solarization

A dramatic tonal reverse. The image appears to have a countermad tonal effect that is a result of over — exposure. The usage and visualization of unconventional tones create a sense of idiosyncrasy and uniqueness. In simpler terms, dark areas appear light, light areas appear dark. The sun may seem like a large dark spot and not the bright burning ball of fire that it is. Most of the process involved in solarization happens during the post — processing stage.

Other aspects with regards to techniques include:

Understanding the foundations and fundamentals of composition and how framing and perspective plays a pivot role in determining the quality of a photograph.

The methods used during post — processing or editing, as aforementioned, augments the quality of the image. Additionally, textures and layers can make or break the end result.

Knowing and understanding the process one indulges in is personal and subjective to the vision of the photographer. During learning, attempting and using existing styles can help. However, it is also best, with time, to develop and nurture newer techniques that are reflective of one’s personal ideas and goals.

Conclusion

From everything we have discussed, it is quite conspicuous that mastering the art of fine arts photography requires a blend of technical knowledge, creativity, critical thinking and self — expression. With the right guidance, exposure, experience and with time, you can be proficient at your art and be an expert fine arts photographer.

You can read more about AAFT’s School of Still Photography here.