randyland

I received a comment on one website that i had shown a couple pictures on. And it made me quite angry. The comment was from an obvious amateur.

The comment was nice pictures but there all fake.

Now to be fair this wasn't only directed at me but a lot of people but he used one of my pictures as an example. Actually it was the Taoyuan Sunset that Ive previously added here....It is 2 posts down take a look before reading on.

He said they were fake because they are all photoshopped. I was became defensive because although I do use Photoshop on every one of my photos, I most often only use it for cropping or adding a border, watermark, or my logo. Rarely for anything that would dramatically change the essence of the picture.

Few pictures, like the one I show in the post below are radically altered. However this was just for fun, I was trying to create a convincing photo from nothing, an otherwise 'throw-away' file. In no way have I said this is how it really was.....but IF it were to be sold to the couple....which one would they most likely choose?


My question to all cynics is :

What is a photo.... to you?

I will argue its subjective all the way. There is no way for anyone to be able to tell that what the camera saved or what the film captured is 100% accurate in all respects to what was really there.

An infinite number of variables are available.

From camera view, available light that day, camera type, the multitude of lenses, filters, films, to the brand of machine and ink that prints the picture.

Every photo can be art, a snapshot in time, a point of interest, an expression of character, or a memory because for some reason the person behind the camera felt moved enough to push the shutter button.

As far as digital manipulation is concerned my view is unless its being used in false advertising, or meant to maliciously deceive someone, there is no harm being done.

I call my work PhotoArt.

Some are pure photos with NOTHING changed, and some have been altered.

Sometimes I brighten them up but this also happens automatically with any film you bring in to get processed. Its just that I can do it myself with patience, care and firsthand knowledge of how it really looked and not rely on some underpaid slack-jaw haplessly ruining everyones photos in "Under 1 Hour."

Everyone who has paid a photographer to take pictures of their wedding is in the same boat. Every wedding photographer uses photo editing software or has uses some sort of film processing and/or touching up the negatives or pictures directly.

Heck even a frame or the lighting on the wall can make a huge difference in how we perceive a picture.

If the Mona Lisa was in a 'Dollar-Store' frame sitting above a gas station urinal, it would have a whole different kinda smile.