Jutta Marika Rasanen

Puzzle about the nature of art and artists
 

A very famous finnish naturephotographer Hannu Hautala published a
picturebook 'Moments in nature' in 1999. Recently there's been a huge
debate about it among naturephotographers.

Photographs by Hautala

In the book there were 5 digitally manipulated pictures. Manipulation was
not mentioned in the book. Later on other naturephotographers got insulted
and very worried about this case. Hannula did something like this! Why?
They said Hannula has insulted the whole era of naturephotographing which
is about giving real experiences of nature to those who are not able to
join all the amazing happenings of it. Viewers are expecting to see the
very moment when the picture was really taken. Now the trust and truth has
lost its face.

Hannula's respond is he feels very frustrated about the debate. He is
simply exited about the possibilities of digital manipulation. Now he is
able to work the pictures so that they present the events he has really
seen. There are events in nature when photographer is not able to catch
the happening with the camera because of technical impossibilities.

What is the difference between artphotograph and naturephotograph?
Did Hannula's pictures turn into art because of manipulation? What is
genuine nature experience? Can manipulated nature picture give that?
Where is the limit manipulating nature pictures? Should naturephotographes
have the right to do that in certain limits? Or is it then just
artpicture?
 

(You can find article about Hannula and debate and some pictures in
address:www.helsinginsanomat.fi/uutiset/juttu_t.asp?artid=20001023KU4&pvm
=20001023)