Have you wondered … … about photographing another's art?

Often there are policies which make someone wonder why they were made. Many are curious from whence a policy has come! But have you wondered, or even been a little curious, about the rationale associated with photographing (or not!!) statues, paintings, or other art work?

Long ago in camera club, members weren't told, "Disqualified" when they submitted for competition, a picture of a statue in the park in Paris. The image simply got a terribly low score and the judge or commentator's remark about the picture was "Some one else's art work!" If a member questioned the remark, it was always made clear that good photographers don't take pictures of statues/art work unless they are filling the snapshot book, "It's not your art--it's just a record of someone else's art." And, most clubs generally would never see anything similar for months. Most judges are cognizant of the situation--most photographers learn early-on.

Times change and sometimes a photographer goes off to the museum, local or far off, records beautifully a reclining nude or other figure, gets out a little Adobe Photoshop[R] technique and improves the look of his original picture and sends the finished product around as his own work. OOPS! Photoshop or not--it is still someone else's art.

Currently, a popular photography subject is cemetery shots. Go on-line and look for cemetery photography and see what a vast interest there is, especially in old graveyards in the US southeast! There is a whole "army" of cemetery shooters! Some of those with this interest seem to be snapshooters simply recording one cemetery after another. On the other hand, shooting artistically in old cemeteries, are some well-known professional photographers, who carefully compose artistic images of parts of some of the statuary, with thoughtful lighting. And, that is the key in this discussion! Shooting a record of the stone or statue in XYZ cemetery at Row 78, Plot 29 is just that--a record. The new hot photographic interest of recording cemetery stones and statues won't work for competition or showing. It also doesn't work for publication in the Society's magazine and would be rejected out of hand.

Likewise, though, there is other artwork out there which some photographers notice and record. A trip to many European cities is for North Americans a real opportunity to see and admire old masters' paintings, famous statues, and other forms of original art. Often it means a collection of shots worthy of a wonderful record of a long dreamed-of trip, but still--it is shooting someone else's art. The Journal turns down articles sent to the Editor which are illustrated by records of the art found on trips--it doesn't work for magazines nor for camera club competition.

The obvious question which comes up, "Well, then if buildings are someone [an architect] else's art, I suppose we can't take pictures of them either????" Some will remember members of the Photographic Society of America who were attending the annual conference in Pittsburgh and went out to shoot the beautiful Pittsburgh Plate Glass company's building and were promptly told by a guard to cease and desist--and to move on!

Essentially, the same situation of another's art work will apply to "snapping away" at mailboxes or birdhouses--one gathers a nice record of them in various locations but those subjects are also someone else's art even if they aren't very artistic!

Those who have not wondered about this topic, perhaps should. Simply put, making an artistic rendition of the partial shoulder and arm of a statue " won't serve as a record in any snapshot book but it may well be artistic--and best of all, it will likely not be offending in a legal way, in the Journal, plus a competition is unlikely to reject said rendition as another artist's work but keep in mind, record shots of artwork are off-limits to competitions and to publication.

PSA International Conferences

Tucson, AZ * September 2-8, 2007 Starr Pass Marriott Resort & Spa

Portland, OR * Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2008 Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel

West Yellowstone, MT * Sept. 20-26, 2009 Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort

Jean Timmermeister, FPSA

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