Wikipedia defines Fine Art Photography this way:"Fine art photography is photography created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer. Fine art photography stands in contrast to representational photography, such as photojournalism, which provides a documentary visual account of specific subjects and events, literally re-presenting objective reality rather than the subjective intent of the photographer; and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to advertise products or services." I tend to agree with this view. To elevate a photograph to "Fine Art", takes more than a beautiful subject and a steady hand. The final image has to show the artist's intent. It has to have meaning beyond what was happening in front of the lens at the time. A snapshot on one's vacation would not be considered Fine Art, no matter how beautiful it turned out. No matter how much others say they like it. It is not about "likes", it's about meaning, and intent. In short, it has to have soul. I always try to add a level of abstraction to every image I make. In this way, even the ordinary can become extraordinary. My main concerns are: design, shape, and movement. I believe Fine Art Photography is a special form of visual communication. Not only is a picture worth a thousand words, but it can communicate directly to the spirit. Very similar to Jazz or Poetry. I lean towards my art being as reductive as possible, without completely losing sight of the original form. In my work, I try to find subject matter that touches me; speaks to me in some way. I then record the subject with my camera in a very straight forward way. Once in my computer, I then apply fairly standard methods of manipulation (similar to the old dark room days). Trying to coerce out and/or enhance that magical/spiritual element that made me take the image in the first place. My themes tend to land in one of three thoughts: Made by Nature, Made by Man, or Nature vs. Man. When viewing my prints, I highly recommend turning off your conscience, analytical mind, and just let the natural communique take place.