*EDIT - This article has been translated to Spanish by the lovely =Derzorvadur Here is the article Conceptualizando

Hello there fellow deviants, I am happy to be Moderating the Conceptual Photography Gallery. I am thankful to $Moonbeam13 for this opportunity, my name is Faheema, but you can call me Famz I look forward to the wonderful time helping you and assisting however I can.

This is the ONLY gallery that I will be moderating, ^WilderWein77 is the Gallery Moderator for Photomanipulations > Conceptual and other Photomanipulations.


My task is to maintain the Conceptual Photography Gallery, award DD’s to unknown and thought provoking pieces. Remove miscats if I find any and help however I can as much as possible. I hope to come up with ideas, and my own 'concepts' which will be about contests, featuring artists and other stuff for you to enjoy. I love to help others, so don’t hesitate to come to me for assistance. I will be your voice, so voice your suggestions if you think it’ll help improve dA and the community even more. If you have an idea or something to share, then express it. No question or idea is stupid or silly. It is better to understand than to make a mistake or to remain confused and it is better to have ideas than to have none at all.

Conceptual Photography and Conceptual Photomanipulations
I would like to address something that I have come to realise. I have found that some deviants here do not seem to understand the correct way of categorising images into Photography – Conceptual or they do not read the Gallery Descriptions (they are placed at the bottom left for every category you will be submitting to). Miscategorising your work will not draw the right viewers that you would intend it to, so please read the descriptions first before submitting, or feel free to ask me. I will further get into explaining what a concept is in detail.

I also found that some of you have been placing photo manipulated images into the Conceptual Photography Gallery. Any image that you have altered in any way that changes the state of the original photo makes it a Photomanipulation. As stated in the Gallery Information, when uploading your work you will see - Photomanipulations are images that have been composed of two or more photographic elements to create something new. If you have altered an image in this way then please add it to the Photo manipulation category. If you have noticed that a deviation has been mis-categorised, please report it so that it can be relocated to its correct gallery.

Here are a few examples of Conceptual Photos and Conceptual Photomanipulations

Conceptual Photography


Notice some of these photographs look 'surreal', but the photographers achieved these effects because they knew what style and effect they were going for or maybe they experimented. Practice, thats all you need to do and ask for help


Conceptual Photomanipulation


These images have combined more than one element or image to be created therefore they are Photomanipulations.


Community Help
I am seeking your help to expose unknown artists, so I urge you - the community, to suggest Daily Deviations on pieces that you feel strongly for, read the guidelines below first . If you need me to address or discuss more information regarding Conceptual Photography feel free to let me know. If I can, I will explain it as best as I could.


So what does conceptual mean?
Well basically it’s about an idea(s), thought(s) or feeling(s). When you begin to resolve or portray them from your creative mind as best as you can, makes your ideas, thoughts and feelings become your concept. An idea is only powerful unless it is expressed well and unless you wish to express a message. Without meaning or feeling it is not a concept.
So just taking a snapshot photograph does not make it a conceptual piece. It’s when you put the concept to it that it becomes something more. The photo alone should speak for itself, even though it can sometimes be ambiguous. That’s where you take that challenge to direct the message in the path that you would like it to go.


In an upcoming news article, I will try my best to help you develop concepts, get your ideas to flow better and help get rid of those artist blocks that we all encounter. I am sure we all have different ways of being creative so I’m asking you, what are some ways that you go about coming with your concepts, I will include them in the news article in hope to help others.


<sub>Daily Deviation Suggestion Guidelines

Do not suggest an artist's piece if they have received a Daily Deviation within less that 3 months

Do not suggest Daily Deviations other than Conceptual Photography

Do not suggest a photograph that already has a a lot of attention

I am looking for good quality, unseen but original, meaningful and thought provoking Images

Note me your suggestion titled 'Daily Deviation Suggestion' - or the name of the deviant and deviation (when the DD plugin is being used)- any other titles will be ignored. Include the thumb of the photograph and a short description of why you chose to suggest it as Daily Deviation. Also let me know whether you will like to be credited as the suggester if the piece is considered for a DD.

I will not reply to every DD suggestion nor will I feature all of them, I will however look at and consider everyone of them.

You can send self suggestions BUT, yes there is always a but, I will make a poll and randomly and ask for you guys to send self suggestions, only then will I be accepting them. So you must keep your eyes peeled for it.</sub>


Have Fun!