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What is a fine art print?
This is a question that I am often asked, but can be difficult to define. The photographic process can be somewhat subjective and therefore open to different interpretations. As photographers we all shoot snap shots of things around us. It's how we learn to see the world in this new two dimensional state. A snap shot is simply a straightforward representation of what was in front of the camera at the moment the exposure was made. A fine art photo on the other hand, must instill an emotional response from the viewer. It should convey some of the thoughts that the photographer had either at the time of capture or later in the development of the print. This process can often take hours, days or even weeks to finalise. For me the first stage in creating a fine art print is to imagine what an image could look like. You need to compare the information that you see with the naked eye and imagine how this will translate in to the final print. The way your lens "draws" the world is fundamentally different to the way the eye sees it.
By taking control of the camera we can enhance and manipulate the tones within the scene to bring them closer to the way we think about the world. We can add drama, evoke an emotion, tell a story (from our point of view), we can persuade, discourage, accentuate, or enhance the world or our ideas to create an Art form using the Photographic process. A fine art print should be produced to exacting standards of technical excellence and should be able to stand the test of time though the use of conservation quality materials and the skill of the photographic craftsman.