An interesting thread...
Discussion
There is a thread here: http://forums.dieselstation.com/index which debates the role of photoshop in photography, which I thought some might find interesting (Its certainly got me thinking about how i use photoshop).
GetCarter said:
Nice skid lid Matt.
I do think the Porka is way too shopped.
I do think the Porka is way too shopped.
That is the lid of dreams. I may own one similar one day. Actually it would probably be best for everyone if it was permanently affixed onto my head!
I have to get back to pushing the envelope across the blue sky of value in search of low hanging fruit now. I just don't have the bandwidth!
off and die under a rock.Comments about the actual picture are a waste of time.
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
jcosh said:
Comments about the actual picture are a waste of time.
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
Perhaps, but if you put a pic up on 't net then it'll get critiqued no matter what, as I've found out myself.
In some ways I think its good that so many people think they can take any old picture then labour over it for hours in PS to produce.... well something slightly less shit than before (but I suspect the owner sees something which has 'impact'). Meanwhile those who are prepared to invest time in learning the art of photography, trying to understand what works and why will always produce good images straight out of the camera. I still despise HDR though, it looks truly awful.
trackdemon said:
jcosh said:
Comments about the actual picture are a waste of time.
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
The debate is about the use of PS to enhance/improve images against the purity of getting it right in the camera......
It's an interesting topic. Ultimatly there are many very good PShoppers out there, but unless they have the basic skills/experience as a photographer their PS work will always look OTT or to perfect or CGI like in appearence.
Fact is PS is a very useful tool to the pro photographer, but you should always try to do as little as possible.
Jonathan
Perhaps, but if you put a pic up on 't net then it'll get critiqued no matter what, as I've found out myself.
In some ways I think its good that so many people think they can take any old picture then labour over it for hours in PS to produce.... well something slightly less shit than before (but I suspect the owner sees something which has 'impact'). Meanwhile those who are prepared to invest time in learning the art of photography, trying to understand what works and why will always produce good images straight out of the camera. I still despise HDR though, it looks truly awful.
Yes pics on forums will get critiqued by others. The shame of the picture in question is that the poster made it clear that he was trying to gauge opinion on the post production work and freely admitted the pic was a quick snap.
I tend to agree that there is a lot of rubbish pics posted on these forums with the owners totally over doing the PS work. This is the difference between a hobbist photographer and somebody who earns a living from every picture they take. Time is the enemy if your a pro and images have to be delivered double quick to clients. There is very little time for PS work, but used sparingly and with a trained eye it is a very powerful tool. It has allowed be to produce images that were impossible on film.
As for HDR (I think this is a form of merging images of varying exposures to create shadow and highlight detail) I do this manually in PS by blending 2/3 RAW conversions of the same image. This is very useful for dealing with extreme contrast ( a big problem at this time of year). I also use it for interiors where I take 2/3 different frames and alter the lighting (flash) in each to create a fianal image that would require double the amont of flash heads if it were to be done in the camera.
Jonathan
I don't really like photos that have been manipulated to death. I can't help feel that there's something fundamentally dishonest about it.
When people start constructing images from others, then they stop being a photo and start being something else - an example is this image, where the sky has been changed to increase the impact of the picture. Or this one, which is a complete fabrication.
When people start constructing images from others, then they stop being a photo and start being something else - an example is this image, where the sky has been changed to increase the impact of the picture. Or this one, which is a complete fabrication.
Edited by tank slapper on Thursday 30th November 19:47
tank slapper said:
I don't really like photos that have been manipulated to death. I can't help feel that there's something fundamentally dishonest about it.
When people start constructing images from others, then they stop being a photo and start being something else - an example is this image, where the sky has been changed to increase the impact of the picture. Or this one, which is a complete fabrication.
When people start constructing images from others, then they stop being a photo and start being something else - an example is this image, where the sky has been changed to increase the impact of the picture. Or this one, which is a complete fabrication.
Edited by tank slapper on Thursday 30th November 19:47
Agreed, both great example of what I'm talking about. OTT in the extreme!
Jonathan
New to photography, but done digital work for over 10 years now, but I think as soon as you do anything non-uniform, it's no longer pure photography, but only really under the umberella of digital art...
I'd consider gradient adjustments, overall adjustments and such things ok, but selective editing which has clearly happened there, is far too much.
Ultimately it comes down to pride in your work or hobby. I've taken a few pictures that have been just not right, but I will NOT PS them to make them ok because thats just defeating the object of doing a good job in the first place. The whole reason I bought a camera is to LEARN about reality rather than just faking it like I have for the last 10 years, and I won't do that if I just fall back on my digital editing... Already my digital work is starting to show signs of improvement through understanding more about reality, which you just can't do reading books!
I just think people who take crap photo's and have to edit them will never learn what makes a good photograph, so they miss the whole point!
I also think photography is just that, nothing more than a snapshot of the photons. Computers have rogered it properly and I kinda hate photoshop in a way because you just don't know if your appreciating someones great camera skills to capture light, or their digital editing ability to make things that are not real... I still appreciate digital art, but I appreciate a GOOD original photograph much more than a PS'd one!
Dave
I'd consider gradient adjustments, overall adjustments and such things ok, but selective editing which has clearly happened there, is far too much.
Ultimately it comes down to pride in your work or hobby. I've taken a few pictures that have been just not right, but I will NOT PS them to make them ok because thats just defeating the object of doing a good job in the first place. The whole reason I bought a camera is to LEARN about reality rather than just faking it like I have for the last 10 years, and I won't do that if I just fall back on my digital editing... Already my digital work is starting to show signs of improvement through understanding more about reality, which you just can't do reading books!
I just think people who take crap photo's and have to edit them will never learn what makes a good photograph, so they miss the whole point!
I also think photography is just that, nothing more than a snapshot of the photons. Computers have rogered it properly and I kinda hate photoshop in a way because you just don't know if your appreciating someones great camera skills to capture light, or their digital editing ability to make things that are not real... I still appreciate digital art, but I appreciate a GOOD original photograph much more than a PS'd one!
Dave
Edited by Mr Whippy on Thursday 30th November 23:11
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