Rooftiles, Spain. 2005 © John Queenan 2005

The question often arises as to what exactly is fine art photography?

The term fine art can often be mistakenly thought to denote the quality of the artwork in question, but the term “fine” refers simply to the purity of the discipline, and that is art created for no other purpose than providing beauty and enjoyment rather than commercial use. Painting and sculpture are some of the best known examples of the fine arts.

It is said that fine art photography would therefore be the work that is created to express the feelings or visions of the photographer. It can also be defined by what it is not. It is not like commercial photography, in that it is not produced to sell a product or promote an image. It is not journalistic in nature where a photograph is taken to capture or tell a visual story that coincides with a written one. Fine art photography really came into it’s own in the 1970’s when some galleries started featuring photography exclusively, and collectors started taking more of an interest.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milan 2004 © John Queenan 2004

As far as my own photographs are concerned, they were often simply scenes that played out in front of me and I captured them with a camera, more documentary than anything else, in fact the only posed shots are the portraits. My own work is often produced when I find myself in a situation or place that is so unique, aesthetically beautiful, or deemed by me to be important, that it simply demands to be recorded and shared with others. I think that is what inspires me the most!

Wives, Lilani Hotsprings, South Africa. 1983 © John Queenan 1983

Little Lions Head, South Africa. 2005 © John Queenan 2005