Is Photography Art?

"How often misused words generate misleading thought." - Herbert Spenser

Whenever confronted with comparative interpretations of language I reach for an authority, In this case the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary which has this to say about 'art', 'craft', 'photography' and 'photograph':

“ART (Latin art, -ars, a base meaning ‘put together, join, fit’.) 1. Skill 1a. Skill as the result of knowledge and practice. 1b. Technical or professional skill. 1c. Human skill as opposed to nature. 2. The learning of the schools; scholarship. 3. The application of skill according to aesthetic principle, especially in the production of visible works of imagination, imitation, or design; skilful execution of workmanship as an object in itself; the cultivation of the production of aesthetic objects in its principles, practice, and results.

“CRAFT (The transference to ‘skill, art, occupation’ is English [language] only.) 1. Strength, power, force. 2. Skill, art; ability in planning or constructing; ingenuity, dexterity. Now chiefly as 2nd element of form. 2b. Occult art, magic. 2c. Human skill; art as opposed to nature. 3. An artifice, a device, a skilful contrivance: specifically a magical device. 4 In a bad sense: a A deceitful action; a trick, a fraud. b. skill or art applied to deceive or overreach; guile, cunning. 5a. An art, trade, or profession requiring special skill or knowledge, esp. manual dexterity. b. The members of a trade or handicraft collectively; a trade union, guild, or company of craftsmen. 6. Scholarship; a branch of learning, a science.

"PHOTOGRAPHY The process or art of taking photographs; the business of producing and printing photographs.

"PHOTOGRAPH A picture or other image obtained by the chemical action of light or other radiation on specially sensitized material such as film or glass."

'CRAFT', it seems, is only a synonym for 'ART' in the English language. Do we consider our language the lingua franca to the point of total disregard for the cultural and linguistic comprehension of other peoples?  In quest of International identity would it not be wise to attach a handle that more people can get a grip of? Craft seems more trade and occult related than would necessarily be appropriate for photography in all cases.

The artifact itself, the photograph, is given no abstract connotation by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary whereas 'photography' is described as being both a process and an art.

It follows that photography is quite possibly art, the process of which might be well crafted.

But what about the photographer as artist? Again by definition it follows that the photographer is practicing 'art' and hence is an 'artist'.

If it's interesting, gets your attention, keeps your attention, and/or makes you think - it's probably "art."

My thoughts about Lighting

I would have to say that my experience leads me to believe that the most flattering light for most portrait exposures is soft light and off-camera. When indoors using natural sunlight (if available) through a white sheet over a window works, as does the electronic equivalent, the soft box (light bank). The latter is my preferred choice.  I prefer to control the light on my subject.  I generally use a combination of 4 studio strobe lights all with a specific purpose.  I generally have to large soft boxes to the left and right of the subject at about a 45 degree angle to the subject and in line with the camera.  A third light illuminates the background and the fourth is reserved as a hair light.  The later is a light positioned to give a shine to the subject's hair.

If your subject is outdoors, an overcast day is best. If the day is sunny, make sure to use a reflector or electronic flash to fill in shadows underneath the eyes.