* An image is a portrayal of both SUBJECT and FORM with one usually dominating the other. For me, the most memorable images balance the two in an interesting way. One dimensional images that emphasize FORM become cliche very quickly because the cleverness wears off and there is nothing of interest then left. Those images that emphasize only SUBJECT have a better chance of being memorable if the subject is unique, but more often become repetitions of work already seen (take the ubiquitous look-a-like sunset images one sees in nearly every photo album). So it is the image that blends form and subject in an interesting way that really becomes a work of art. It this kind of image that forces the creator of the image to think beyond just capturing what is there or being clever in composition. When it is done well, the emphasis of both subject and form in an image offers an open canvas for deeper expression and interpretation...it becomes art.

Furthering these thoughts, two types of photography come to mind that serve as examples. First, minimalist photography is all about form. It's at first very attractive and fun to look at because it does one job very well....forces a photographer to simplify an image (which pays big dividends in making an image effective). But upon living with minimilist photos for a time, the cleverness wears off and there really isn't anything else left to ponder or interpret. So a minimilist image fulfills it's objective of making FORM interesting, but falls short soon after that.

Second, nature photography is predominantly about subject. Again the beautiful sunsets and changing leaves make for some truly stunning images, but at the end of the day, these are mere recordings of beautiful places and times. It's easy to become saturated and bored with these images after a short while because of the simliarity and "expectedness" of the subjects. A few nature photographers work beyond this, and their work really bucks this trend (see Steven Jusczyk's galleries). But for the most part, nature photography for me is more documentary than it is artistic.

A few of my own images here to emphasize the point...