[weegee]

You can manipulate the light when you take the picture.
You can alter the image in the darkroom.
You have to be cognizant of the image to begin with (if you don't see it, you can't frame/capture it).
Several people can be on the same scene taking pictures of the same event. Each will be a unique vision. Some will be better at it than others. Some will resemble other shots by the same photographer (consistency) others will just "get lucky".

Too many people think all photography is like digital VIDEOGRAPHY. Point and shoot and push to print.

There are a number of artists working today who design the concept of the works but lets other people actually do the sculpting and/or mechanical tooling.

Does the sculptor have to pour the bronze himself to be the artist? Or is it not art at all since there are several castings made from one mold?

[KeepUSfree]

We can debate "what is art" till the cows come home. I did that in college. The cows came home - and we still couldn't nail it down.

Sure, you can manipulate light, angles, exposures, filters....but I still think it is craft. Sure, 20 photographers will capture 20 different images. All you have is 20 different photos....not 2 works of art, 3 near works, 13 photos and 2 thumbs over the lens. As I said in another post. I make jewelry - from scratch - and I don't consider myself an artist. Does the sculptor have to pour the bronze. No, but he had to create the original. And, no, the "art" involved was in making the original. All of the others are "copies of art" - done using craft. And, as for designing and letting others do the sculpting or tooling. I would posit that if someone else can make what you had in mind...then it probably wasn't "Art" to begin with....it's probably just "assembling a product".