The Danger of Processing

The more time I spend exploring photographic websites and competing in online contests the more I realise how much post camera processing is going on and frankly it disturbs me. What has happened to the "art" of photography, the moment of capture when the photographer works to get all the elements right, thereby creating the "perfect image".

I am the first one to admit that all of my photographs are viewed first in photoshop and occasionally I will tweek the curves or pop the saturation but apart from that I have no idea how to use 80% of what the program offers.....why should I, surely you are then no longer a photographer but rather a computer super user?

I was horrified the other day when coming across the site of a well recognised American photographer who very proudly showed the steps used to take what was quite frankly a very very average photograph and turn it into the work that she is well know for.....that is not photography and I am not surprised that the real "professionals", the "artists of photography" find it annoying that these "amatures" use the computer to achieve what they cannot in camera and then sell it as a photo rather than a piece of digital art which is in fact what it is.

Now don't get me wrong, programs such as lightbox and photoshop give the photographer the control over the elements that they would have once had in a dark room and I am all for those kinds of processing techniques BUT I do believe you need to get it right on the camera FIRST and then finish it in post processing and not totally rely on computer manipulation.

And so I continue to compete with my "straight from camera" shots and occasionally I win, but I REFUSE to get drawn into the very compelling world of airbrushing and actions to make my photos great, that is going to take time and a whole lot of work and frankly I think it is worth it.

Okay rant over :0)