Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/07/06

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Subject: [Leica] Photoshopping for Truth? (and a sneaky real estate FS Friday)
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:40:42 -0400

If you've had a suspicious view of Photoshop from afar all these years than
good luck!!
Anybody whose been doing digital photography with any seriousness at all
over the past decades and has not had his head in the sand knows that the
equation is not
Photoshop = Airbrush
But:
Photoshop = Darkroom

To "Shop" an image is to print or to develop it. Not twist it.

You needed a darkroom in the previous age if you wanted to develop and print
your pictures.
Now you need Photoshop.
Does darkroom  work = lying?
It sure could people have been dodging and burning their own view of things
into their photo imagery from day one. The late 1800's.  Plus pre or post
fogging or you name it. Darkroom magic. Darkroom basic technique.
In the name normally not of un truth but of an image with more impact and or
clarity. Both usually. The idea is to be able to see the  whole image
clearly. All the detail in it. The way you did when you stood there looking
at it with your camera in your hand at the scene. So it need to be carefully
balanced. Proper sharpening is a timely topic now on the LUG and is a big
issue now as we craft our images.

In the now internet mentality there are those who want to buy and sell
expensive gear and play with any results you get with them with a cheap
"editing" program and expound BS like Photoshop is not for photographers or
is for making un truths. Or is evil in any number of ways.
Photoshop cost money and requires time.
Photoshop is you darkroom; and the practice of using photoshop is the
practice of  photography.
"Craft" Strand called it.
You can lie with it or you can tell the truth. Just like before digital in
the 90's. Only easier. But its still up to you.

[Rabs]
Mark William Rabiner

it's a world of laughter, a world or tears
its a world of hopes, its a world of fear
theres so much that we share
that its time we're aware
its a small world after all





Replies: Reply from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Photoshopping for Truth? (and a sneaky real estate FS Friday))
In reply to: Message from ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] Photoshopping for Truth? (and a sneaky real estate FS Friday))