What makes a photograph art and who says so?

Over the weekend I went to a lecture by one of my favorite photographers. Rarely, do I attend these kinds of things except when the Palm Beach Photographic Center has their seasonal lectures over the winter months. Although, they are now located in downtown West Palm Beach with their grande opening around the corner. I can't wait for them to open so I can get a shot of culture (photography). Us lonely photographers do not necessarily lead that romantic life so many perceive. Just as the man I went to the Boca Museum to listen to. I have to plug this in premising that I have no association with the Museum at all; that said, their permanent photography collection on the 2nd floor was a wonderful surprise. A place I will return to when I want (need) to be among friends. Where looking is listening, stillness like a long exposure, and a return to self.

So, here I am in a small room with young and old listening to Clyde Butcher talk about his work, entitled, "America the Beautiful," and his overall process from capture to print. If you are new to Clyde's work, he uses large format (8x10 and larger) camera; BW negs, which he develops, and then contact prints, followed by the edited scans to the computer thru Photoshop and out. His cameras are beautiful. As a photographer, the photograph is not just the view: it is the whole process-the camera, image development, special processes, paper, inks, chemistry, enlarger, printer, matting, frames, floating.....4-ply, 8-ply...plexi or glass. To me, that is a photograph. All those pieces wrapped up in hours of sweating, frustration, redo's, and successes mixed with the authentic presence of the artist (ie. originality, individuality) equal a photograph. The artist creates and says...

And I am listening to him speak when I realized that I should be paying more attention and effort to doing my work. Clyde and Niki are models of doing their passion. My intuition needs a good kick to really incorporate the technical stuff from schooling with my vision. So, I have been defining my vision. My work, my art is because I am.