The Artistic Acceptance of the Beautiful and the Not So Beautiful in Photography

Garden Gate – © John Neel

While my own artistic efforts have been mostly about environmental concerns, it is my feeling that the world needs images that inspire us to think about the real issues we face as human beings. At the same time, it is just as important to see the beauty of where we live.

Among the seriously concerned photographers in this world, it seems that there are those who think that beauty in and of itself is not a valid subject for artistic photography. I see it here and there in Facebook feeds as well as in comments found on blogs. Sometimes written with a snicker or a snide remark.

It seems that the photographic world is pretty much divided between those who see the world as they want to see it (fantasy) and those who attempt to see the truth (reality).

From my perspective, there are some artist types who appear to have little respect for images that are simply about beauty, beautiful design or a beautiful world. Examples of what I mean, are flawless images of beautiful skies, perfect landscapes, pretty people, animals, flowers, sunsets, and seascapes. I would add advertising to this as well. Many “artistic” types see them as cliché. Some see them as an escape from truth. They see these kinds of subjects as being blind to the perils we face, the issues we should confront and the questions we might want to answer about life.

Likewise, image-makers on the “beauty side” appear to loathe the images that “artistic” image-makers tend to create. Here the examples might be about death and war, political corruption, humanitarian problems, pollution, the environment, sexism, race, poverty, the human condition, ignorance and other social issues or concerns. I would imagine it is because they don’t quite understand why anyone would want to photograph such subjects.

However, those perfect world images, which I believe all photographers including this one, just might wish for, also deny us the reality of the world we actually live within. As example, it might be important to understand how those same scenes have been or will be, transformed by the very real and very damaging environmental effects manifested by corporations, advertising, oil, the automobile, war and by our greed for an endless supply of production goods. In that sense, if we only seek out the beautiful subjects to photograph without asking the right questions, seeing the details, or without any other kind of scrutiny, we are creating a bit of a lie. We miss the reality that could make for a truer understanding. We sidestep the truth. We bury our heads in the sand.

And that I believe is part of the dilemma. We so called photographers are on two different sides of a similar coin. In many ways, we actually need to understand both kinds of subject. Part of living here on this tiny planet is that it is indeed a beautiful place. But is also a world that has been and is in constant turmoil. We need to see the truth from all perspectives.

If we only see the good stuff, we are denying that the bad exists. Likewise, if we only show the bad we deny that there is anything to save. It is as if some photographers are saying with their images that the world is not in any danger of being ruined by the modern world. At the same time others are showing or implying otherwise.

I believe that when we step around or over the debris that seems to fill the landscapes we want to shoot in order to get the beauty shot, we are being untruthful to our audiences. We are also being untrue to ourselves.

I feel that we need to open our minds to the possibilities of a world that will change for the worse. It is best to look at it square in the eye in ways that can help the rest of the people on this planet see the vision that many understand as truth. If not truth, at least a deep look into what that may be.

In my mind, we need to be aware of the good as well as the bad. Otherwise, we risk losing track of the realities we live in and the realities we live for.

Personally, I attempt to shoot the bad and the ugly as a way to understand, that which is worth saving. For me, the act of photography is a learning process. It is an attempt to see the world as it really is and to ask the questions – both positive and negative, which can possibly make the difference in how the world might evolve. I am as interested in the good stuff as anyone could possibly be. I would love nothing more than to make images of a perfect world. But I don’t want to be caught with my head buried in the sand because I failed to see things the way they really are. Rose-colored glasses do nothing but paint fantasy.

Personally, I believe that truth is the ultimate goal for which image-makers should always strive. The way I see it, anything that is not thought provoking or looking for answers is more than likely a waste of precious time. It is a waste for both the photographer as well as his/her audience. As image-makers, we have the responsibility to be honest with our subjects so that the truths we seek might be revealed to our viewers. The idea for me is to open minds. To do that, we all need to open our own.

What I mean by all of this is that we need to see both sides of the photographic mindset. We need to find the beauty in the subject through our understanding of reality. Whether the subject is a beautiful garden, a striking face, a dead soldier, or the depletion of the ecosystem, in some way, we need to realize the whole world through straightforward, rational, honest, and compassionate vision.

I believe that photography should not be about fantasy or deceit. Photography needs to be a relentless soul-searching for genuine humanitarian truth. That to me is what might provide the best chance for saving the world from ourselves.

Personally, I think we need to show all of the life we can. It is just as important to see the good as well as the bad. Denial and opinion do not make truth less true.

Make your photography count for something true. Make it count for all of us.

Rethinking Digital Photography – John Neel

My book – Rethinking Digital Photography

Read more about great photographic techniques in my book Rethinking Digital Photography.

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