Photography is a captured image appealed by/appealing to the eye. A concept is always something that is clear and easy to understand. When a concept is complex and seen in many directions, it is a form of art. Conceptual photography is formed when a message is in the image, usually created by post-processing. Conceptual artists always have a story to tell, and the receiver might create their own interpreted story. This runs along the lines of concept stories and surrealism – leading to pictures that have a concept, and pictures that don’t make sense. For example – a concept could be a photograph of someone wearing a crown with their hair on fire. What does that mean to you? It could mean something strong to the author – perhaps they feel like their power is burning them alive. To a receiver, it might look like surrealism. Some conceptual artists like to make their concept clear, but at times it is very hard to figure out their message. Therefore, surrealism and conceptual photography are sometimes strongly linked together. |
A conceptual photographer usually has their own view on the world – It is almost a hidden fantasy world. The images created are abnormal and usually blow ones mind because it’s reality in a photographer’s vision. A conceptual photographer’s vision is always a fantasy, and they can always re-create it in a real life image. This is where post-processing comes along. For example – a conceptual photographer wants to create a picture that delivers a message that their heart is being broken (a concept), so they take a stock image of a real heart, and edit it so it is being teared up. They will then take a picture of perhaps their hands over their chest, and layer the heart on top. This image wouldn’t happen in real life – which is how post-processing and the fantasy world comes to place.
The negative thing about conceptual photography is that it isn’t much like a photographer who does weddings, nature shots, landscape, etc. No one wants to ask conceptual photographers for their wedding photos – so it is hard to get into the business and become known in social media. A conceptual photographer is one of the hardest types of photography to get noticed. Concepts are sometimes also hard to understand – so concepts and executions get under-estimated and ignored. A conceptual photographer can take all sorts of pictures and create a concept. They can do all sorts of images and make a concept out of it – finding the people who want these pictures is just the hard part.
Being a conceptual photographer, I own a scrapbook, and when an idea comes to me – I draw it out. Ideas can come to my from inspiring photographers, from walking on the streets, from words someone says, etc. For example : someone once said “it is like the whole world is being taken away from me.” From then I pictured taking a picture with a rope and globe. Someone pulling the globe using a rope from someone else’s hands.
A lot of people would enjoy conceptual photography a lot more if they understood the meaning of the type of photography. It’s a challenging type of art – but it a good way to show your creative side. Conceptual art is very hard, and it isn’t for everybody. These photographers are constantly looking for inspiration and trying to come up with outstanding concept to create. It is a beautiful form of photography.
All image and content copyright @ Lysandra Cassy
A lot of people would enjoy conceptual photography a lot more if they understood the meaning of the type of photography. It’s a challenging type of art – but it a good way to show your creative side. Conceptual art is very hard, and it isn’t for everybody. These photographers are constantly looking for inspiration and trying to come up with outstanding concept to create. It is a beautiful form of photography.
All image and content copyright @ Lysandra Cassy