I believe it’s nearly impossible for anyone to effectively articulate what should or should not be considered “fine art“. Any attempt on my part to do so would be a certain failure and leave you with far more questions than answers.
Maybe the now-infamous words Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart used to describe hardcore pornography might do a better job:
“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it.”
-Justice Potter Stewart
That in mind, here are a few contemporary photographers whose work should absolutely be considered by Justice Stewart as… uhhhhhh…fine art.
Joey L
Gregory Crewdson
Annie Leibovitz
Ian Reuter
Nadav Kander
Peter Lik
Craig Cutler
Mark Seliger
I often look towards this group of photographers (and dozens of others) for inspiration and have even been fortunate enough to work with/for a few of them. Each brings something very different and unique to the table when it comes to creativity, style and vision, yet all have reached a level that I don’t think could be described as anything but fine art.
After all, I know it when I see it.
– J