Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Adam Bridge wrote: > > On 4/4/03 Oliver Bryk wrote: > > >I am disturbed by the readiness to condemn the photographer without taking > >into account the broader context in which the result of his image > >manipulation was propagated. I agree with Martin that there is a system > >problem. Assigning one hundred percent of the blame to the combat > >photographer and zero to the picture editor back home strikes me as too > >simplistic. > > So, just to be clear, the picture editor is supposed to know that tampering had > taken place? > > Isn't there an assumption that what was sent is the real thing? If this > assumption isn't valid then we may NEVER AGAIN be able to trust any digital > image we see anywhere. > > The photog crossed a HUGE line. I hope he finds a way home. > There is just because Photoshop made it a bit easier we never could trust any photo we'd seen. We have a bookstore - Camerans and i can flip though very old Life magazines on a regular bases. The air brushing was not subtle and permeates every entire issue. Why now or at the time was the "truth" of the stuff in there not questioned? That's what i'd like to know. Perhapss it's because there was an positive assumption that the intent was to not distort a story but simply fix a wrinkle in Heddy Lamars dress and take out the telephone pole out of Ikes head, fix his nose while they were at it. If Photoshop was not so darn seamless and invisible at at least the level of proficiency of airbrush then in LIFE then we'd not think so much that it was taking the cherished "truth" out of our photographs. The truth was never there pals! A photograph is a two dimentioal cropping of reality. BOY can cropping do a lot! Before they had airbrush they had the hollowed out stick they'd dip in the mud technique. The problem was the quality of the mud. It would sometimes dry out. Or it'd rained and they'd not realize it making for thin mud. And the control of the stick. And required more breath control than the average person could muster. All the Bassoon players were busy. Mark Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.rabinergroup.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html