Merging Art & Photography: How One Fuels the Other

People often ask if I consider myself a photographer or a graphic artist—as if I have to pick one. The truth is, I stopped seeing a line between the two a long time ago.

Photography is how I see. Digital art is how I respond. Graphic design is how I shape the story.

And honestly, they’re all just tools I use to make sense of the world—one image, one layer, one digital brushstroke at a time.

🎞️ Photography: The Foundation of Everything

Let’s start at the lens. Every photo I take is more than just a documentation of reality—it’s a starting point. A spark. A moment frozen that can evolve into something entirely different.

I shoot mostly on my Nikon D750 (occasionally the D7000 when it’s not hiding from me), and I shoot RAW—because I like my pixels like I like my coffee: unfiltered and full of potential.

Once I pull those files into Lightroom, it’s more than just exposure tweaks and color correction. I’m sculpting light, reshaping mood, and creating a visual baseline. That edit might stay as-is… or it might become a canvas.

🎨 Digital Art: When the Real World Isn’t Weird Enough

Photography gives me form, structure, and detail—but digital art gives me the freedom to break it all apart.

I work in Midjourney, Canva, Kittl, Lightroom and Photoshop, layering textures, blending elements, and often starting with my own photos as a base. A broken barn door might become a planet surface. A foggy tree line might twist into an abstract piece. That perfectly lit heron shot? Might turn into a digital watercolor with cosmic overlays because my brain said “yes” at 2 a.m.

I use:

• Clipping masks and blend modes to combine photographic texture with hand-drawn elements

• Custom brushes made from my own photos (yes, I once turned peeling paint into a digital brush)

• Layer styles to mimic traditional mediums—ink, charcoal, watercolor, etc.

The photo is never lost—it’s just reborn.

🖌️ Graphic Design: Where Art Gets Practical (And Occasionally Paid)

Graphic design is where the control freak in me comes out. It’s precision-based, layout-driven, and perfect for the days when I need structure instead of freeform chaos.

And again—photography feeds it. That texture you see in a background? Probably a photo I shot of rust or cracked paint.That custom logo font? Might’ve started as a scribble I layered over a stone wall.That color palette? Pulled straight from a moody abandoned farmhouse at golden hour.

I use:

• Adobe Illustrator for vector work and layout

• Lightroom presets I’ve built from edited photo color grades

• Photo overlays to add natural grit and realism to clean digital design

  
  

Photography gives my design work soul. It turns clean vectors into something that feels lived-in.

🧠 Why the Merge Works

Because photography, digital art, and design don’t compete—they collaborate.

• Photography gives me structure and realism

• Digital art gives me imagination and emotion

• Graphic design gives me clarity and function

  
  

Together, they let me move between worlds—documenting the real, inventing the surreal, and communicating across both.

🎬 Final Thought

When I pick up my camera, I’m collecting pieces.When I sit down to edit or design, I’m rearranging them into something new.

So no, I’m not just a photographer or just a digital artist or designer.I’m all of it, tangled together—and honestly, that’s where the magic lives.

Want to see how the chaos comes together?🖼️ Visit my gallery at The Windmill – Building 4, Penn Yan, NY🎨 Shop wearable art, prints, and custom designs online📸 Follow the messy process @MileyJadeDesigns