Painterly Photography

Photography is a great art form.  There are so many fantastic photographers out there, it is hard to pick ones to blog about, and with today’s affordable cameras, the ranks are overflowing.   I find that Barbara Cole’s work transcends the genre, and she creates images that seem more like fine art paintings.

Barbara Cole, Courthouse Ladies

Although Cole describes her process for “Courthouse Ladies”, it is still almost impossible to imagine how she could have created this image.  She used an old fashioned Polaroid camera in her studio, and somehow manipulated the surface of the film to add dimension and create the painted effect. Amazing.

Barbara Cole, Attraction

Again, the description of her work is beyond my artistic comprehension.  In her words:

“I photograph from above in order to flatten the perspective. I rework this canvas with a toolkit that includes clouds, reflections, plastic sheeting, cloth-encased figures as well as aperture, shutter speed and artificial lighting. It is important that I am able to capture these photographic constructions in-camera, creating on site, rather than relying on photographic artifice.”  -Barbara Cole

Barbara Cole, Green Chartreuse, II

Her work is unlike any other photography I have seen.  Maybe I am confessing my inexperience, but maybe not.  Either way, there is no doubt that Cole’s work is something out of the ordinary. See more on her website: www.barbaracole.com