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Fine art photography refers to photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist. Fine art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism (which provides visual support for news stories, mainly in the print media) and commercial photography (the primary focus of which is to advertise products or services). The reactions of artists and writers have contributed significantly to perceptions of photography as fine art. Prominent painters, such Pablo Picasso, have asserted their interest in the medium: I have discovered photography. Now I can kill myself. I have nothing else to learn. - Pablo Picasso
We believe that fine art photography overlaps with many other genres of photography, the overlaps with fashion photography and photojournalism and of course digital photography. We all know journalistic/reportage photographs who have their place in a Museum or art galleries
Since it's how photography was invented, it is logical to consider black and white photography as the purest form of photographic art. From Niépce's first landscape image and Archer's colloidal wet-plate process, black-and-white photography still had evolving to do before becoming the modern art form it is today. The colloidal wet-plate process did cut down exposure times but was unwieldy and long, requiring the photographer to develop images instantly. The photographer could not be far from his darkroom, severely limiting applications for this new art. In 1883, George Eastman introduced photographic film in rolls, and in 1888, Eastman Kodak released the first consumer camera, making the art of photography accessible to anyone.
Soon enough, black and white photos were hand painted, producing pastel like illustrations. Then came the digital age ! "I discovered years ago that the best way to explore color photography was to shoot black and white photos, in order to stay away from the standard "canned color" designed by Kodak and Company. I searched old chemistry books and pulled out toning formulas, intending to colorize B&W paper, or 4x5 black and white films sandwiched together. And yes, I even used Chloridric Acid mixed with Nitric Acid, to carve the gelatin in order to apply organic dyes in layers. The result was amazing photo prints I was never able to reproduce ... Needless to say, for months afterward my hands were red, green and blue; my social and romantic life was dead (almost), and my lungs have never forgiven me. The good news is that Photoshop came to my rescue." Alain Bali - Sexy 60's is a Black and White series digitally colored.
