Are these photographers cheating?
Discussion
How can it be cheating when a photo is just a photographers captured perspective of a specific moment in time?
To even consider Elevator Girl cheating is a little far fetched. He’s working the scene as shown on the contact sheet. Most photographers do this subconsciously when deciding wether to take a photo or not.
Great topic.
To even consider Elevator Girl cheating is a little far fetched. He’s working the scene as shown on the contact sheet. Most photographers do this subconsciously when deciding wether to take a photo or not.
Great topic.
Unless you are doing reportage the concept of truth in photography is meaningless.
Sometimes it is necessary to tell a lie in order to tell the truth.
For instance, as Scott Kelby says, two tourists are talking about a church they looked at that morning. They agree that it is very beautiful. One asks the other "What did you think of that lampost in front of it. The other replies "What lampost? Didn't see it". So in that case the photo with the lampost removed would be more true that one with it left in. Photos are different to reality.
Sometimes it is necessary to tell a lie in order to tell the truth.
For instance, as Scott Kelby says, two tourists are talking about a church they looked at that morning. They agree that it is very beautiful. One asks the other "What did you think of that lampost in front of it. The other replies "What lampost? Didn't see it". So in that case the photo with the lampost removed would be more true that one with it left in. Photos are different to reality.
ashleyman said:
How can it be cheating when a photo is just a photographers captured perspective of a specific moment in time?
To even consider Elevator Girl cheating is a little far fetched.
(I am not a photographer)To even consider Elevator Girl cheating is a little far fetched.
For my 2c, it *is* cheating if the image is being used to promote some agenda that was not in the original picture, otherwise no it's not.
If elevator girl is just a picture of a girl in an elevator, then no it's not cheating.
If elevator girl is used and disected as social commentary on US society then yes it's cheating; it was such a heavily set-up shot that it was done purely to promote the photographer's agenda, and in this day and age would be called 'fake news'.
ReallyReallyGood said:
(I am not a photographer)
For my 2c, it *is* cheating if the image is being used to promote some agenda that was not in the original picture, otherwise no it's not.
If elevator girl is just a picture of a girl in an elevator, then no it's not cheating.
If elevator girl is used and disected as social commentary on US society then yes it's cheating; it was such a heavily set-up shot that it was done purely to promote the photographer's agenda, and in this day and age would be called 'fake news'.
In what way does the elevator girl photo depict something untrue? To me, it's a well-depicted snapshot of what I imagine would be her typical day: hotel guests shown blurred because they are moving on, away from the elevator, while she's stuck in there all day, going nowhere.For my 2c, it *is* cheating if the image is being used to promote some agenda that was not in the original picture, otherwise no it's not.
If elevator girl is just a picture of a girl in an elevator, then no it's not cheating.
If elevator girl is used and disected as social commentary on US society then yes it's cheating; it was such a heavily set-up shot that it was done purely to promote the photographer's agenda, and in this day and age would be called 'fake news'.
There are many ways of interpreting the picture and meaning will depend entirely on what the viewer brings. The 'agenda' (as you put it) is part of art. It's what makes a photo more than just a recording of photons hitting a film/sensor.
Escapegoat said:
ReallyReallyGood said:
(I am not a photographer)
For my 2c, it *is* cheating if the image is being used to promote some agenda that was not in the original picture, otherwise no it's not.
If elevator girl is just a picture of a girl in an elevator, then no it's not cheating.
If elevator girl is used and disected as social commentary on US society then yes it's cheating; it was such a heavily set-up shot that it was done purely to promote the photographer's agenda, and in this day and age would be called 'fake news'.
In what way does the elevator girl photo depict something untrue? To me, it's a well-depicted snapshot of what I imagine would be her typical day: hotel guests shown blurred because they are moving on, away from the elevator, while she's stuck in there all day, going nowhere.For my 2c, it *is* cheating if the image is being used to promote some agenda that was not in the original picture, otherwise no it's not.
If elevator girl is just a picture of a girl in an elevator, then no it's not cheating.
If elevator girl is used and disected as social commentary on US society then yes it's cheating; it was such a heavily set-up shot that it was done purely to promote the photographer's agenda, and in this day and age would be called 'fake news'.
There are many ways of interpreting the picture and meaning will depend entirely on what the viewer brings. The 'agenda' (as you put it) is part of art. It's what makes a photo more than just a recording of photons hitting a film/sensor.
On Facebook, I follow one of these life-coach, success guru type blokes...."come to my seminars and I'll show you how to succeed"...you know the type. The only reason I follow him is that a mate used to work for him and I met him at a party once. He struck me as a bit of a knob but has clearly developed a bit of a following.
On his social media, there are many photos of him meeting the great and the good from the business world looking to all intents and purposes like they are best buds...Branson, Sugar, etc. There's photos of him at his 'home gym' showing a very well ripped physique (application of dedication to achieve results or some such b
ks).
All of these photos are fake. I know this because one of my mate's jobs was to make them.
That is cheating. That is using the manipulation of imagery to convey a false impression for commercial or reputational gain.
Anything is just artistic interpretation.
On his social media, there are many photos of him meeting the great and the good from the business world looking to all intents and purposes like they are best buds...Branson, Sugar, etc. There's photos of him at his 'home gym' showing a very well ripped physique (application of dedication to achieve results or some such b
ks).All of these photos are fake. I know this because one of my mate's jobs was to make them.
That is cheating. That is using the manipulation of imagery to convey a false impression for commercial or reputational gain.
Anything is just artistic interpretation.
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