The Quiet Picture

Random rants and occasional photographs
Archive for May 5th, 2007

Editing

May 05th, 2007 | Category: photography, scilla

When I started with photography, my pictures were crap. I did my best to improve them on the computer, using all sorts of filters to try and save them. I was quite happy with the results, but in retrospect, crap in crap out. When I finally learned to create decent images in camera, I ditched all those funky filters and now I’ve become something of a purist - the picture just simply has to work in the camera, otherwise it’s a lemon. The only editing I allow myself is the usual with levels/curves and USM, plus a little bit of cloning or healing tool to remove some spots, but usually no more.

But what is a rule worth if you can’t make exceptions to it? I really liked the glory-of-the-snow image in the previous post, if not for the ugly strand of OOF grass in the background that I failed to notice during the shoot. I figured that it should be easy to fix it so I used the magic wand to separate the left side of the background from the flower and applied a generous dose of gaussian blur to it and Bob’s your uncle - I think the image works now!

I still have a problem though. I failed in my original mission, which was to create the final product in the camera. I don’t mind it if other photographers edit their pictures, I always think that as long as the finished product is good and the photographer admits the edits, then why not? Why can’t I allow the same liberty for myself? Why do I keep thinking that the end does not justify the means?

So this is my mantra for today. I like this image - edited!

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