What If You Saw Your Photos Through the Eyes of a Painter?
Photography and painting may seem like separate worlds, but the greatest artists blur the lines between them. Many of the world’s most compelling photographers think like painters, using composition, light, and depth to create images that feel intentional and artful.
Inside the Authentic Muse Membership, we explore this unique perspective—learning how to see like a painter to transform our photography-based art. While the details of this approach are exclusive to members, today, we’ll dive into the philosophy of a master of painterly photography: Arnold Newman.
How Arnold Newman Thought Like a Painter
Arnold Newman is known for revolutionizing portrait photography with his environmental portraits—images that didn’t just capture a subject’s face but told a deeper story through their surroundings. Much like a painter, he carefully composed his frames, using shape, light, and negative space to guide the viewer’s eye and evoke emotion.
Take his iconic portrait of Igor Stravinsky, where the grand piano becomes an extension of the composer himself. The composition is as deliberate as a brushstroke, leading the eye through the frame with precision. Newman didn’t just take pictures—he designed them.
3 Ways to Think Like a Painter in Your Photography
Here are three painterly techniques you can start applying today:
1. Compose with Intention
Before you press the shutter, think about how a painter would arrange the elements on a canvas. Use leading lines, balance, and negative space to direct attention where you want it.
2. See in Shapes and Values First
Painters often sketch in black and white before adding color to ensure the values are strong. Train yourself to see light and shadow before color, and your compositions will become stronger and more dynamic.
3. Tell a Story with Your Background
Newman’s portraits were never just about the person—they included their world. Think beyond your subject. Use their surroundings to add layers of meaning to your images.
A Challenge for Members of Authentic Muse
Inside the Authentic Muse Membership, members are taking on an exciting challenge—applying the “Think Like a Painter” approach to their own photography-based art. By exploring painterly composition, values, and storytelling, they’re creating images with greater depth and intention.
Want to be part of this creative journey? Join Authentic Muse Membership and challenge yourself to see photography in a whole new way.
Are you ready to elevate your photography with the mindset of a painter?
What You’ll Get:
✅ Lessons on painterly photography techniques
✅ A supportive community of artists and creatives
✅ A structured approach to developing your unique artistic style
✅ Inspiration from legendary artists and photographers
Join Us Today! Let’s elevate your photography and start thinking like a painter. Click link below for more information:
