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On this past Saturday, June 7, I visited Frederick, Maryland, with a friend, and we unexpectedly were lucky enough to see the once-a-yearly two-day event called the 31st Annual Frederick Festival of the Arts with Craft Marketplace.

I found it interesting that the event organizers distinguished between arts and crafts.

When people use the term arts and crafts, they often lump them into the same stuff, but arts and crafts refer to different types of creative expression.

So, are photographers artists or craftspeople?

My visit to Frederick, Maryland, got me thinking about that.

In general, here's how it goes:

Arts

• Aesthetics and expression are the primary focus of art.
• Usually, the purpose of art is to express beauty, ideas, concepts, and emotions.
• Some examples of art are photography, drawing, sculpture, and painting.
• Some things we look for/judge in art are interpretation, emotional impact, originality, and creativity.
• Art is frequently a one-of-a-kind object and isn't always functional.

Crafts

• Function and skill are the primary focus of a craft.
• Usually, a craft is hand-made, and the purpose of the craft often has a practical use.
• Some examples of crafts are woodworking, jewelry making, pottery, and weaving.
• Some things we look for/judge in crafts are utility, technique, and quality.
• Crafts are often functional and reproducible (like baskets and mugs).

Simply Put:

• Expression and emotion drive the creation of art.
• Skill and functionality drive the creation of crafts.

Of course, there's overlaps.

Photography is one of those forms of expression that's both art and craft because we value aesthetic and practical qualities in a photograph.

As artists, we can express beauty, ideas, concepts, and emotions.

As craftspeople, we can create photographs with utility, such as news photographs.

However, additionally, as craftspeople, we need to have the skill to observe and describe the light we see and operate our cameras effectively to create compositions that visually communicate what we want them to communicate.

We can create both arts and crafts when we're skillful and intentional photographers.

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily.

The Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) group classes starts soon or you can learn the same stuff as a series of Private Lessons.
  
More ways to study and practice photography with me are below.

Call me at (202) 531-2344 if you need help determining the best course for you.

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A note about group class sizes: Did you know that some places that teach photography have up to 25 students in each class? 

Bigger ain't always better.

That's why I limit my group classes to no more than five participants because smaller classes make for better, more effective, and more efficient learning experiences.

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker, so sign up soon. 

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

Currently scheduled classes are below.

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? Private in-person lessons suited to your schedule are always an option.