When Photography is Art

[GB1]

From Skyy Infusions web site at www.skyyinfusions.com

Creating photography instead of just taking it

(Images are freely downloadable at their site as desktop wallpapers.)

[Franglais]

It's nice but it's just commercial photography. The guy/team who put this together are good artisans but that doesn't make what they do Art.

I would rather not get into the question "how do you define Art?" but here goes anyway. I think that for something to be Art it should be:

- Futile (preferably)
- Personal to the artist
- Give the feeling that he's put his guts into it

[Frog]

Skilled, yes but it gives me no sense of artistic endeavor. It is all commercial advertising.
For me, art must say something.

[Shebang]

Yes, they want you to buy their stuff, but I still appreciate their artistic approach to it. I copied the cherry one -- I dabble with painting/drawing and the shadow placement on the white girl's nose will be helpful.

[caleb]

http://www.davehillphoto.com/

[BlueRob]

Crispy and catchy...but art? Is far from it.




Hold on, I´ll be right back, I´m getting something to drink.

[BlueRob]

Originally Posted by caleb

http://www.davehillphoto.com/

Great link thanks

[caleb]

the products of human creativity

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art

Those photos are art by these definitions. If you disagree with using wikipedia as a reference, then fair enough:

the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art

[GB1]

Call me weird, but I really see work like this as art. It's GRAPHIC art, not traditional drawing and painting, etc, but art nonetheless.

I also agree with the defns that Caleb posted.

Again, call me weird.

PS - I took a Philosophy of Art class in college. The central theme of the class was "What is art?" It will probably never be completely answered, and everyone will surely never agree anyway. So don't think too much -- just do it.

[jetrim]

Absolutely consider this art. Not fine art, but as GB stated - graphic art. It is amazing what can be created from a single beauty dish, pair of bookend reflectors, a sheet of plexiglass and some colored paper. In the end though, there is probably as much traditional art as there is photography in these shots, you don't see it because you don't have the originals out of the camera to compare to. Much like makeup on a beautiful woman, the best application isn't readily apparent, a marked change from fine art where it's all about seeing the application (or result of it). So again, no question in my mind that this is most definitely art - so you can call me weird too

[caleb]

Looks like all the bottles were taken at the same time and swapped out (or photoshopped flavors on). The drips and ripples in the martini glasses weren't executed that well, imo. The lemon is awesome though.

I really like this series of ads

[jetrim]

Originally Posted by Frog

Skilled, yes but it gives me no sense of artistic endeavor. It is all commercial advertising.
For me, art must say something.

Out of curiosity, how would you approach the problem of making a lemon or grape seductive in a more "artistic" fashion? I ask this because most artists nowadays are forced not only to endeavor to be creative, but to do it on a deadline. A recent homework assignment in my studio photography class illustrated this point all too well. Some basic parameters were set, and then we were told to "be as creative as you can". We had one week to turn it in and it was one of the more difficult things I've been tasked with in a very long time - just like making a grape alluring or sexy.

[LightBright]

This is art. I can taste things more in these photos than drinking it in real life. The only thing I don't like about it is that all the reflections on the bottles are the same.

[Liz]

I first viewed these images last night, but did not post because I had a bit of conflict within myself as to whether or not this could be considered art. Personally, I don't like them.

However, objectively speaking, I could not deny that it took talent, creativity and imagination to get these results. I checked the images twice again today, and they sort of grew on me. I'm glad I returned to post because there are more remarks here that confirm my thoughts. I do believe these are a work of art, not my kind of art, but IMO, art nonetheless.

So you can call me "weird" too! Just my two cents.

Liz

[Frog]

There will always be a debate over whether something is art or not.
I will say it is quite creative.

[GB1]

Originally Posted by caleb

http://www.davehillphoto.com/

Wow, this guy is good. Exact type of creativity I like. Thanks for the link !!!

G

[opus]

"what is art?" = "what is funny?"

everyone has a different sense of it, so it's impossible to impose a standard.

[ken1953]

Art, as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I can appreciate the art in the advertisements above, but don't put them in the same category with other types of art. The fact that they are advertisements, IMHO, tends to detract from the art, but remove that stigma and it's nice work!!! Wish I were that good in Photoshop...hehe...

[SosoSaccharine]

kind of off this threads topics, but can anyone explain the type of lighting that was used in this?

I'm very new =[ just trying to read everything but there is only a small amount of posts.

thank you

[drg]

Pretty but not much of the end result is 'photographic'. Several minutes with Adobe Illustrator as well as Adobe PS would render any of these from already available images.

Notice the bottles are all the same except for the label layer. The backgrounds are gradients setup from a library of color variants.

Eye catching advertisements, but are the photographic art? I'd say they are more the product of a good graphic designer who knows their tools and had a library of photographic elements from which to assemble these images.

[livin4lax09]

Originally Posted by GB1

Wow, this guy is good. Exact type of creativity I like. Thanks for the link !!!

G

Dave Hill's work is absolutely amazing. There are probably thousands of individuals who try to copy his techniques, and i've never seen one that comes remotely close.