Humans are very gifted storytellers, and we have been sharing our life experiences via many different mediums over the course of human history.
As a storytelling tool, fine art photography can take you out of your own story and let you experience the lives of others.
Fine art photographers document the small moments, the joy and the pain of the human experience. They create a window to share these experiences so that we might not feel so alone.
In his work on Mankind’s Toil, Kevin Vandivier uses fine art photography to tell masterful stories of the human experience. He explores the lives of people as they work, learn, and survive.
Helping Hands is an image that reminds us that we are stronger together. A young college student learned that she is pregnant by a man she is no longer seeing. The baby’s father had no interest in the child and wanted the woman to terminate the pregnancy. When she refused, he tried to kill her, but the gun misfired, saving her life and the life of the baby. The young woman found a place of strength in the company of several women in her community who shielded her from her former partner as she brought the pregnancy to term. With the helping hands of these women, a healthy baby boy was born on the 4th of July.
As we go about our existence, there are stories all around us that tell of mankind’s toil. It takes an open heart and a keen eye to record these stories, and a delicate and understanding approach as well.
Vandiver’s work is a wonderful example of how to bring stories to life as a fine art, and of the sheer power of photography to capture people’s imaginations with the stories of others.
If you want to find success as a fine art photographer, learning how to tell these stories - the good, the bad, and the otherwise - is essential. Taking one of Vandivier's adventures at National Photographic Adventures would help much as well. Be sure to check out his current offerings at www.scenicpic.com