Re: [APML]: Astrophotography or Astro-Art?

[Chris Vedeler <cvedeler@ix.netcom.com>]

The Astro-Photography Mailing List
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Thanks Gregory and Chuck for this very interesting discussion.  I'm kind of
surprised this type of thing is not discussed on this list more often as I
think it is very important to our hobby / art.  We all discuss autoguiders,
focusing techniques, film and a thousand other things that relate to the
process of astrophotography, but it's kind of understood without words when
we see an astrophotograph which is beautiful.

I'm not one to try and tie art down with strict and arbitrary definitions.
I personally believe art is more a mater of how one does something vs. what
one does.  There are several books out about applying the creative energy
of art to business, life, relationships, your job and just about anything.
To me art is like Zen.  It's not about definitions, it's about process and
the process of astrophotography for me is clearly art.

The line between astrophotography and astro-art certainly has a large gray
area.  I'm comfortable with that ambiguity and don't think it is really all
that important to try and define a line as long as each of us is honest
with our own personal process and expression with the camera and the
telescope.

Chris Vedeler
http://www.isomedia.com/homes/cvedeler/space.htm
Tucson, AZ