P H. Emerson: some thoughts on photography (1889)

‘A photograph’, it has been said, ‘shows the art of nature rather than the art of the artist’ This is mere nonsense. as the same remark might be applied equally well to all the fine arts. Nature does not jump into the camera, focus itself, expose itself, develop itself, and print itself On the contrary. the artist, using photography as a medium, chooses his subject, selects his details, generalizes the whole in the way we have shown, and thus gives his view of nature This is not copying or imitating nature, but interpreting her, and this is all any artist can do, and how perfectly he does it, depends on his technique, and his knowledge of this technique; and the resulting picture, by whatever method expressed, will be beautiful proportionately to the beauty of the original and the ability of the artist These remarks apply equally to the critics who call pictures ‘bits of nature cut out ‘ There is no need to slay the slain, and give any further answer to the objection that photography is a mechanical process, if there were, it would be enough to remind the objectors that if twenty photographers were sent to a district of limited area, and told to take a given composition, the result would be twenty different renderings. Photographs of any artistic quality have individuality as much as any other works of art, and of the few photographers who send artistic work to our exhibitions, we would wager to tell by whom each picture is done. Of course, the ordinary art-craftsman has no individuality, any more than the reproducer of an architectural or mechanical drawing. But where an artist uses photography to interpret nature, his work will always have individuality, and the strength of the individuality will, of course, vary in proportion to his capacity.

Many photographers think they are photographing nature when they are only caricaturing her. 

Photography has been called an ‘irresponsive medium,’ This is much the same as calling it a mechanical process, and, therefore, disposed of. we venture to think A great paradox which has to be combatted, is the assumption that because photography is not ‘hand-work,’ as the public say,––though we find there is very much ‘hand-work and head-work’ in it––therefore, it is not an Art language. This is a fallacy born of thoughtlessness. The painter learns his technique in order to speak, and as more than one painter has told us, ‘painting is a mental process,’ and as for the technique they could almost do that with their feet So with photography, speaking artistically of it, it is a very severe mental process, and taxes all the artist’s energies even after he has mastered his technique. The point is, what you have to say, and how to say it.

If you decide on taking a picture, let nothing stop you, even should you have to stand by your tripod for a day.

Do not climb a mast, or sit on the weathercock of a steeple, to photograph a landscape; remember no one will follow you up there to get your point of sight.

Do not talk of Rembrandt pictures, there was but one Rembrandt. Light your pictures as best you can and call them your own.

Do not call yourself an ‘artist-photographer’ and make ‘artist-painters’ and ‘artist-sculptors’ laugh; call yourself a photographer and wait for artists to call you brother.

Be true to yourself and individuality will show itself in your work.

Do not be caught by the sensational in nature, as a coarse red-faced sunset, a garrulous waterfall, or a fifteen thousand foot mountain.

Avoid prettiness - the word looks much like pettiness, and there is but little difference between them.

No one should take up photography who is not content to work hard and study so that he can take pictures for his own eye only The artist works to record the beauties of nature, the bagman works to please the public, or for filthy lucre, or for metal medals.

The value of a picture is not proportionate to the trouble and expense it costs to obtain it, but to the poetry that it contains.

Do not mistake sentimentality for sentiment, and sentiment for poetry.

Do not mistake sharpness for truth, and burnish for finish.

The charm of nature lies in her mystery and poetry, but no doubt she is never mysterious to a donkey.

It is not the apparatus that does the work. but the man who wields it

When a critic has nothing to tell you save that your pictures are not sharp, be certain he is not very sharp and knows nothing at all about it.

Art is not to be found by touring to Egypt, China, or Peru; if you cannot find it at your own door, you will never find it.

Many photographers think they are photographing nature when they are only caricaturing her.