Click to view larger image of "Psychotropic Trout"
This past week was a very special one for me. I created a new "painting" with my camera. For me, nothing is more exciting. Perhaps I should explain.
I believe the human urge to communicate through the creation of art is primordial and irrepressible. When I was younger I would have given anything to be able to draw or paint but even stick men were beyond my ability. It was very frustrating. But I got lucky. As a journalism major in college I was required to take a year of photography classes and that was when I found my Muse.
Back in those days (early 70's), photography was a very different medium and considered an art form by few. And, to prove the point, the curriculum was housed in the Journalism Department. I could not understand why photography was art's stepchild. To me it was nirvana. I learned a couple of years ago when I was invited back to speak that had changed and photography is in the Art Department where it belongs. The college, for those interested, was Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
As photography evolved so did I. Eventually, I was no longer satisfied with taking pretty or technically correct images. I still yearned to paint. So my ambition became to "paint" with my camera. By this I mean create images that look more like paintings than photographs. I must be having some success as more and more people are referring to my images as “your paintings”. Monet without doubt is my inspiration as far as painters go. I like all the impressionists, but Monet, he’s my favorite. His use of color is beyond beautiful.
My other passion is nature. Eight years ago I fulfilled a life long dream and moved to Montana where I could endlessly pursue both my passions. I live in a national forest and Alberta and British Columbia are literally at my doorstep. In addition to trying to create paintings I try to show nature in ways not commonly seen. There is so much beauty in this world and much of it would go unseen if it weren’t for intrepid trekkers such as myself
“Paintings” are not easy to come by. In a year’s time, if I create 15 to 20 new works of art it has been a very good year. My “paintings” are my photographs, the rest are pretty pictures. Nothing wrong with pretty pictures, I like them too. In fact I have started a little online gallery at Imagekind precisely for those pretty pictures. I will be adding to those galleries as time allows. But, the “paintings” those are what excite me and inspire me.
Now to why this was a great week. Mother Nature allowed me to create a new “painting”! It’s titled “Psychotropic Trout”. What inspired me to inpired this post was a recent blog post at AVA by interior designer Lori Wawczak What's Hot and What's not for 2010. In it Lori talks about “modern contemporary” and paisley. It got me to thinking about my trout and how it seems to fit right in with those trends. Nature and wildlife photography doesn't have to be traditional.
For more information or to view more of my "paintings" please visit Kinsey Barnard's Fine Art of Photography.
Please Note: This an actual digital photograph of a rainbow trout swimming under water, not a digital creation.
Life is short ... be inspired!
©Kinsey Barnard Photography
