What is art? This has been asked every time a new medium is introduced. Artists and critics always go back to the basic criteria when considering something as an artistic. The debate continued when photography was invented. Charles Baudalaire in his essay "The Modern Public and Photography" and the anonymous author in "Is Photography a New Art?" discuss the basic condition that sets art apart from every thing else. Baudalaire believed that this instrument only copied what was in front of it and lacked imagination of an artist when he captures particular moment. The anonymous author, although also required personal involvement, considered photography as an art medium. He believed that the basis for all arts is the composition or the order in which one sets the items on his medium. .
In our situation two artists presenting their works to art gallery where Baudalaire and the Anonymous author are judges deciding on whether to accept or reject them. Joe submits a photo of the driftwood that he saw when passing by with a title On the Beach, and Moe submits the log itself with the title Driftwood.
Baudalaire as the curator, will not even look at the Joe's photo no matter what content are in that photo. Photos should not even be in the discussion with other art mediums like painting. He condemns the popular belief that photos are the perfect art in its ability to produce the most accurate and beautiful pictures. He believes that this mechanical instrument that makes these photos just copies the world around us. It is irrelevant even if the picture has captured the most beautiful thing at one in a lifetime occurrence. On the contrary to the popular belief, artists suppose to portray their imagination of the world. Photography was meant to just reproduce the world and nothing more. If this medium were to integrate with other art then the traditional art will be lost and forgotten. For the photography that is considered the perfect imitation will draw all the attention from, let say, paintings that are less imitative.