At the Para Camera club recent “Blue Sky Thinking” meeting, the subject of Photoshop© image editing was discussed. Also discussed, it seems the club is encouraging members to prepare “before & after” examples from club outings. So, on a half day photo shoot with a fellow member to the SA Rally in Mt Crawford Forest, I thought I would share this photo with you.
The subject of Photoshop© editing is contentious which opens up many questions and healthy discussions.
Top of the list is:
- “Is this photography”?
- “Is it art”?
- “Does it go beyond reality”?
- or just simply “Does it improve an image”?
Good Evans by Neil GrayThe editing process only took about one hour, removing distractions (yellow tape & spectators), motion blur the whole image then masking back the car, adding a heavy vignette and boosting the saturation of “reds” in levels.
What do you think?
Cheers
Neil Gray
3 comments:
You seem ask an awful lot of questions here Neil.
I feel both images have their place.
The first, unedited, version is a good photo journalistic shot of the rally, including the car in action and the spectators etc etc.
The edited version still retains an obvious photographic base. We know given the right skills one can replicate the motion blur so the image does not push the boundaries of reality to me.
"Is it ART?" or "Would I hang it on my wall?" We know is a very subjective judgment and often says more about my taste etc than the image.
"Does it improve the Image?". Once again very subjective. I believe it does. Your editing work has removed the obvious distractions. I think you have taken the blur a little too far but the vignetting and the saturation works well to focus the viewer squarely on the vehicle and the action.
Remember: "only one man's opinion" :)
cheers
Andy
Thanks for the comments Andy. I do tend towards the artistic aspect of photography. Check out the SA Rally image in the Sunday Mail - same location. Neil
I like the second image better, but as an amatuer photographer I would like to have captured it that way, even if that meant missing the shot altogether.
If I had to sell the image or I had a deadline, I wouldn't think twice. But for the amateur photographer the debate is still the same, how far can we post produce before people start screaming?
I'm not to sure.... since I started playing with the same media and find it incredibly helpful.
I guess it's the end that justifies the means here.
Anyhow you have done a fine job in both cases.
Cheers,
Alberto Giurelli
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