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

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Subject: [Leica] Photoshopping for Truth? (and a sneaky real estate FS Friday)
From: imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:26 -0500
References: <AANLkTikLZxmwMm02_mFqbH1Mohl5_QtCg0YzPoGhS-xI@mail.gmail.com> <C859472E.642B5%mark@rabinergroup.com> <AANLkTinyXGZnZ3W7K-jnNWI4VmphrXoaV67K6h8d-n1_@mail.gmail.com> <6DF02C08-F75B-436D-8C47-B4E8ECE581D9@embarqmail.com>

I agree.
Photographers illustrate, describe, point to, compose, expose, crop,  
edit, manipulate, etc.
We can, depending on our abilities, apply our craft to communicate
slices of life,
bland documents,
aesthetic beauties,
fleeting styles,
emotions,
opinions,
jokes,
frauds,
hype,
spin,

In the case of this cover illustration, truth is:
Obama apparently really did stand in that spot.
Apparently at the moment this photograph was exposed someone was  
standing close to his right.
Was she that close to him each and every moment that he stood on that  
piece of beach?
If the photographer had asked her to move three steps to the right
would the photograph had become some horrible distortion of "TRUTH?"

In this case IMO: No harm. No foul.

I think it's fairly clear when manipulation is being used to distort  
and serve as propaganda;
and when manipulation is being used to produce a visually classier  
cover.

Regards,
George Lottermoser
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist





On Jul 6, 2010, at 8:46 PM, Ric Carter wrote:

> NO photo is the TRUTH--NOT ONE. At best it is a statement of the  
> photographers perception of reality.
>
> We sell our perception of an event--our trustworthiness-our appeal  
> as artists.
>
> There are people with the skills to produce that picture from  
> scratch without a camera. We've allowed commercial art on news  
> covers forever. If the identical picture were produced without  
> camera, would it be okay?
>
> Any photographer who thinks they are presenting reality forgets  
> what they hold in their hands and and the power their brain and  
> eyes exert over their equipment.
>
> ric
>
>
> On Jul 6, 2010, at 9:09 PM, Tina Manley wrote:
>
>> This altered photo is not the truth
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



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