Fine Art Photography: The Definition

Fine-art photography is photography created in line with the vision of the photographer as artist, using photography as a medium for creative expression. The goal of fine-art photography is to express an idea, a message, or an emotion. This stands in contrast to representational photography, such as photojournalism, which provides a documentary visual account of specific subjects and events, literally representing objective reality rather than the subjective intent of the photographer; and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to advertise products, or services.

A general breakdown of Fine Art Photography per domain:

Fine Art Portraiture
Most portrait shoots require some creativity and forethought. However, with documentary-style portraits, creative planning is focused on the model’s identity. The photographer is trying to highlight their personality rather than developing his/her own ideas and art.
In fine art portraiture, it’s the reverse. The art the photographer wants to create – his/her ideas – are more important than the model’s personality.

Conceptual Photography
Conceptual photography is, by definition, a type of fine art. For this reason, the two are often confused or used interchangeably. However, fine art is a broader category than conceptual photography; not all fine art is conceptual, though all conceptual photos are fine art.
Conceptual pictures may also resemble fine art portraits. The difference is that a conceptual portrait represents a specific idea, such as fear or curiosity, while a fine art portrait may have no specific meaning.

Still Life Photography
Still life photography is another genre with a large gray area between fine art and documentary photography. The difference is, again, the purpose of the photo and the importance of the subject. Is the photographer taking the still life picture because the subject is special, and he/she wants to show it to others? Or is he/she experimenting with an idea or technique to create art?
For instance, the viewer can find countless images of food on Instagram, but the majority are spontaneous and documentary in style. They show a special location, dish, or moment in time the photographer wanted to capture and share.
By contrast, in fine art food photography, the photographer’s imagination is clearly evident in the picture. It’s not a memory; it’s something the photographer thought about and then executed artfully.

Fine Art Landscape & Nature Photography
Some fine art photographers thrive in a studio setting, where they can control all the details of a shoot. Others thrive in natural settings, such as wild landscapes, where they can’t control everything. Then, instead of creating a scene from their imagination, they put their imagination and style into a scene that’s already there.

Fine Art Architectural Photography
Similar to landscapes, architecture is a subject you can’t bring into your studio. The photographer has to go out, find unique angles, and develop a style that’s distinctly him/her. In this way, the photographer can present an artistic view of architecture that changes the way viewers see everyday buildings.

Fine Art Photojournalism / Street Photography
On the surface, photojournalism and street photography may seem purely documentary. After all, documentary photography focuses on capturing reality, so it can be shared and remembered. Isn’t that what photojournalism is?
Yes, sometimes, but not always. Ever since news photographers began taking inspiration from art photographers in the 1960s and 70s, another motivation for photojournalism has emerged. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for photojournalists to focus on the artistic and emotional impact of their images, not just the reality of the scene. Photographers want to create visual narratives, which stir viewers’ emotions.

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