The Creative Journey: Photography as Fine Art

I love this medium, it's challenging and addicting and unforgiving. With the onset of the digital format I have found it to be an endless form of entertainment for free!

I've been taking pictures since I was six years old, but really fell in love with the medium when I first moved to California in the mid 70's. I got my first 35mm camera and became obsessed with it. I was close to the coast and forest, so I went there all the time. I took pictures of boats, people, pets, wildlife, etc.

I experimented with color, black and white film and slides. I entered contests and even won a few.

When I moved back to Washington State I decided to go to college and learn more about art, the creative process, and business, with a focus on photography.

In those four years I explored the many areas I could work with photography; commercial, portraiture, fine art. I interviewed working photographers and researched these fields. I got some experience in portrait photography managing a studio in Seattle after I graduated, and did some weddings and events on the side.

I settled on the creative field of fine art photography and have been shooting ever since.

Honestly, I don't think I'm that good, not like these guys you see with fabulous sunsets and eagles and far off places. But I have camera gear I can afford and I'm still doing this part time because I need to work. I had to start over at 50 and it wasn't going so good even then. But my love of the art is my ongoing inspiration.

I love black and white, abstracts, textures and collage. This is where I put my attention.

I have one site where I can offer my finished work that prints it and ships it. It's a great way for the low budget photographer to be able to share their work with the world.

You can visit there at this link: J Gray Pixels . You can also view all of them right here by clicking on the Fine Art Prints tab at the top of this blog.

In this blog I would love to talk about photography processes with you, share some of my findings and explore this medium further.

Here are a few of my favorites.