Photography: A Meaning to the End

Photography is one of the least appreciated, and toughest mediums of artwork in my opinion. As someone who rarely understands the inner workings of modern and contemporary art, photography has served as a wonderful entry to appreciate art. To me, the effort in timing, and recognition of the beauty around us takes a talent that cannot be trained or perfected over time. It is my opinion that this keen eye for elegance in the simplest of our surroundings is an innate skill.

I first recognized this talent in two of my best friends who are attending school at Point Park University, studying photography. Julia Cavataio and Mara Meyer have been my friends for years, and their artistic talent is remarkable to me. They have an Instagram account where the document some of their work, which ranges from landscapes, sports, bands, and the odd exhibition or two. The way they have captured myself and our friends in the best of light has created memories for us to cherish forever. You can see some of it below, and I’ve linked it for you above as well.

Personally, I love landscape photography. I consider myself a sunset type of girl. I love views and even dabble a bit in it myself. To me, there’s something about finding the perfect angle to illuminate the beauty occurring right before your eyes. Its physical evidence that there is good in the world, and that for a moment, there is peace. Even in the streets of bustling New York City, to the sunset in Palestine over the Dead Sea, I find the same kind of comfort I experienced in those moments through the pictures I have captured.

My favorite professional photographer is Dave Dicello, a Pittsburgh native. He owns a store and sells prints of his photos, three of which are hanging in my living room and one I bought as a gift for my brother. He specializes in city landscapes of Pittsburgh, but also has some features of rural Colorado and more. He has this knack for capturing things at the exact perfect moment, with the best lighting possible. Particularly, he has the following photos where he captures lightening over the city landscape. It amazes me how he can diligently and patiently wait for the right time to strike, no pun intended.

Photo by Dave Dicello

In the end, art is in the eye of the beholder. For me, I’d rather be holding a photograph containing tangible evidence that beauty exists, rather than a made up image created from someone’s imagination.