When I started with nature photography, the dogma was crystal clear: there was photography… and there was art. Nature photography meant capturing the world as accurately as possible. Art? That was for artists, not for people like us.
In our field, the highest achievement was a flawless copy of nature. Blur? A cardinal sin. Overexposure, “wrong” composition, shooting against the light? Even worse.
No Mutual Love
The lack of love was mutual. The art world, in turn, cared little for “simply capturing what already exists.” By definition, that wasn’t art. Therefore, it wasn’t interesting.
There is no Spoon
Before you even press the shutter, you already made countless choices, often unconsciously: lens, camera, distance, angle, moment, subject, settings. Each choice reflects you: do you prefer intimacy or distance? A grand scene or a tiny moss patch? A bird’s-eye view or a frog’s perspective? These choices shape how reality appears. Fifty photographers photographing the same flower will produce fifty different images. That’s the secret of art.
Your Personal Mix
True artistic expression happens when your inner world connects fully with the outer world. Your camera becomes a conduit. The outside world flows in, mixes with your vision, emotions, and associations, and emerges as something uniquely yours, sometimes surprising even yourself.
The Power of Limitation
Art with a camera is tricky. Your frame is fixed; your subject already exists. But that’s not a limitation, it’s a tool. Light, focus, zoom, motion, color; all are variables to play with. Nature photography art doesn’t have to be abstract; it just needs a personal touch. Constraints can inspire. A blank canvas can be intimidating; a frame can be liberating.
From Recording to Expression
Painting began as recording as well, until photography took over in the 19th century. Now, nature photography is evolving from mere documentation into art. Every animal and plant has been photographed. The only way to innovate is to add yourself.
Simply shaking your camera won’t automatically create art though. Experimentation is key. Some will always doubt that nature photography can be art and that’s fine. The goal isn’t to convince them, but to feel it yourself.
Ultimate Freedom
Art allows you to break rules. Anything goes. Nothing is mandatory. The only rule is you doing you. After all: in a world dominated by fake and AI, authenticity is the new gold.
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