Photography or Graphic Artists

[Digital]

I would like an opinion(s) on whether you consider yourself a photographer and/or a graphic artist.

Bruce

[pnodrog]

Both (sort of) and husband, grandfather, golfer ---------

Most graphics artist I have dealt with have skills in print font selection, layout of multiple images, publication preparation etc that are not part of photography. However there is a huge overlap regarding images and it is in this area that I think good photographers will share the same skills. I do prepare brochures etc using either InDesign or the free Scribus software (which is extremely good at the price) and have become reasonably proficient at what I need to do but a trained graphic artist should have skills in area's well beyond those we require for photography.

[Andrew76]

Neither - Haha! Have you ever seen any of my work?!

Maybe someday, I'll take on a title, but for right now, it's just fun!

[William W]

I would like an opinion(s) on whether you consider yourself a photographer and/or a graphic artist.

Just like on the legal documents, one cannot have a foot in two camps – IF you require a definitive answer . . .

No matter how the pie is sliced - there has to be one bigger bit.

On my legal documents, I am still "Photographer" - although I do many other tasks and many of those reap remuneration - I am still, in essence: "Photographer".


***


I believe that I do understand the point of the question: and also note that there is a multiplicity of layers in anyone person’s answer to it.

But, essentially: if one uses 'a camera' for the initial capture - then I would argue strongly (though perhaps choose not to argue here, save for this post only) - that the bottom line single answer is "Photographer".

WW

[jcuknz]

I am sure both are using similar visuals with some different tools towards the same result, a pleasing visual...I am neither but retired and taking photography seriously, well most of the time

[Plumcrak]

Neither - I am just a plumber with an itchy finger! Much like Andrew, I am just having fun

[Glenn NK]

I would like an opinion(s) on whether you consider yourself a photographer and/or a graphic artist.

Bruce

Yes, both.

This isn't an either/or question, one can be both, and one can do creative graphics with an image captured with a digital (or film) camera.

Ansel Adams was both. I'm not Ansel but I can try.

Glenn

[AB26]

Bruce if there is something like an Idiot Photographer I would call myself that. There is so much to learn that I started from scrach again. BACK TO BASICS!

[pnodrog]

........ But, essentially: if one uses 'a camera' for the initial capture - then I would argue strongly (though perhaps choose not to argue here, save for this post only) - that the bottom line single answer is "Photographer".

WW

It upsets me agreeing with someone from Sraylya so I won't completely but certainly when you use a camera you are doing photography. I know one graphics designer who is a gifted photographer but another who admits he has camera no skills at all but watch him to sketch a motorbike or sports car and wow. When you use lightroom or convert RAW files you are still a photographer but when you use photoshop or some other editor the distinction is less obvious.

Having said all this I think the question maybe more about a common "artistic eye" rather than the skill set.

[Manfred M]

While I agree that there is some overlap, as a general rule most photographers are not graphic artists. That is not to say that they are not artists. Photographic works can be art, which of course makes photographers artists.

While the distinction is not clear, especially in the digital age, the graphic artist is related to the degree of reinterpretation of original image(s) or the creation of an image into a full body of work. Photographers have traditionally tweaked their out of camera image, in the traditional darkroom (as per the Ansel Adams example) or the in the digital darkroom where we sharpen, adjust white balance, contrast, eliminate blemishes, etc. Ansel Adams did everything from developing the film and glass plates to the manipulations in printing the images himself. Yousef Karsh on the other hand employed a negative retoucher and a printer and supervised the creation of the final works. Henri Cartier-Bresson handed his films over to someone else because he had no interest at all in the processing of film and creation of the paper print. To me this is just traditional photography and all three men were great photographers and artists (but in my view not graphic artists), in spite of differing approaches in producing the final print.

One the other hand once we get into photocompositing where we manipulate multiple images and text into a single image, that is clearly graphic art. In the darkroom days this was done by physically cutting, pasting and re-photographing the work, and today this is something done using powerful software tools. Adding something that is hand drawn or scanned or created in a vector graphics program like Illustrator is most certainly graphic art. So book covers, DVD covers, movie posters, web pages, etc. generally are viewed as being graphic art.

The problem lies in defining the transition of when something morphs from being a simple photograph into a piece of graphic art. Everyone will have a different view of when this transition takes place. Most days, I am simply a photographer, occasionally I am definitely a graphic artist, but as long as I am a hobbyist, I really don't care. If I were to start a business and print up some letterhead and business cards, they would most certainly say "Photographer, Photo-Retoucher & Graphic Artist". "Photographer" will be in bold and in the darkest black ink, "Photo-Retoucher" will be shown in a middle-gray, regular font and "Graphic Artist" will be in a light off-white in a small, thin font....

[Andrew1]

My wife calls me the virtual photographer. I spend more time on the internet with photo stuff than actually out shooting.

[JackLee]

Getting your views regarding photography and graphics they are different things,,, uc ant compare wach other basically photography is used to take sanp of any particular thing through camera and graphics term used in computer.. Gra[hic artist s different who do their work in computer..

[jprzybyla]

I am a photographer who uses a computer and software to perform functions once done in a darkroom.

[tclune]

I am a photographer who uses a computer and software to perform functions once done in a darkroom.

Whereas I readily do things on the computer that I was never able to do in the darkroom, and those few things that I could do in the darkroom actually work reliably now that I have gone digital...

[John Morton]

The distinguishing characteristic of a graphic artist is that they engage in design work. Photography per say does not specifically involve design.

[GrahamH]

Photo-graphic artist
Graham

[scriveyn]

Photography is a technique; it can be used in art, documentation, automation of industrial processes, etc., etc.

The question what is art has baffled greater minds than mine.

(just my 2 cents)

[Miruke]

Technically photography is one of the graphic arts: as is painting, calligraphy, typography and drawing. Graphic art refers to any two dimensional art. Graphic design I think is what you're referring to where a person uses skills that range from graphic editing to typography to interface design to knowledge and ability in visual arts to produce a new two dimensional image which can be anything from a magazine layout to a website to a movie poster.

I personally, love both photography and graphic design. I think the two have a sort of positive feedback loop as far as acquiring skills goes. Anything I learn in photography will probably make me a better graphic designer and anything I learn in graphic design will make me a better photographer, specifically in relationship to photo composition and use of color.

[davidedric]

It's a multi dimensional ven diagram, with overlapping multi dimensional bodies . Sorry it's a bit late.

[pnodrog]

It's a multi dimensional ven diagram, with overlapping multi dimensional bodies . Sorry it's a bit late.

Is there an overlap so I can be both a human and a photographer? I know some press photographers will be outside any such overlap.