does anyone consider...

someone less of a photographer if they use photoshop a lot?

Ive been on numerous photography forums and i usually tend to get the same replies everywhere.

"photoshop ruins pictures" "real photographers leave pictures as they are"

blah blah blah

i personally think this is a load of twoddle. as you can see i do use photoshop a lot and do enjoy heavily manipulating photographs but i dont see myself as less of a photographer because i still got to go out, set up a shot, set up the home studio and everything a non-manipulating photographer does.

this might sound like a load of rubbish to you and sound like im nagging XD but I just thought I'd get some feedback and see what you photographers think.

Tags: manipulate, photoshop, pictures

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Willy on March 26, 2008 at 3:36pm: I don't think that anyone is less of a photographer for using Photoshop. I use it all the time. Its basically an art form for me. I don't draw so therefore, PS is my outlet. I understand how some can say that manipulating takes away from the original art, but at the same time, didn't digital take away from straight SLR photography? As we evolve into a digital lifestyle, so will our passion for certain details and ideas.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andrew on March 28, 2008 at 3:55pm: exactly! this is what i tried telling them because like i said i still got to got out and actually take the shot!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jake Ripley on March 28, 2008 at 4:13pm: I do think it makes you less of a photographer, not less of an artist by any means, but it does take away from the photographic value film held before photoshop was even around. Photography is an in the momment experience with your surroundings, by doing heavy manipulation, I think it turns it more into just.. a picture.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Terri on March 29, 2008 at 7:29am: You can manipulate a photo in the darkroom also, even Ansel Adams did that. So as long as you are not changing things in the photo, adding & subtracting, but enhancing I don't think it makes you less of a photographer. I personally like it when the photo comes out just perfect in the camera...but it doesn't always happen. I also like to create image from my photos...making them wild pieces of art...LOL; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary on March 29, 2008 at 7:25am: WOW, exactly what does that other person mean "real photographers leave pictures as they are:". There is NO SUCH THING. There are so many variables, the CCD, the focus, the lighting, and above all, perception is everything.
I use PS extensively and the more I learn the more I am conviced that it has opened up an entirely new avenue for expressing myself.
Photography is a very personal thing. I want to convey my "feelings" about a subject. And I defy anyone to imply that the original image is the only perception.

RUBBISH; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jake Ripley on March 29, 2008 at 7:37am: photoshop takes away from the "in the moment" factor of photography, in no way am i attacking you, because some amazing photographers use photoshop. But the fact of the matter is anyone with a DSLR and photoshop can make a decent photo. It takes far more skill and preperation to take the photo the way you see it in your mind the first time. Life doesn't have an undo button...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cher on March 29, 2008 at 7:50am: I am a photoshop filter lover...does that make me any less of a photographer...I dont think so. I think it makes me a better one because theni can actually add a piece of ME into my shots. Photoshop is a hard program to master (and i still havent) so I admire photograhers that have the skills to truly make a photo thiers. I see it this way. if everyone could only post photos straight from the camera the photography world be be sooo boring! not to mention no one would be able to tell one photographers works from another. Photography is viewd by the world as a form of art...why some people think it isnt ok to actually make it art in ps. just astounds me! people that believe this should try taking a photo in a way no one else int he world has done already but still make it personaly "thiers"...just my 2 cents worth.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary on March 29, 2008 at 8:15am: This photo I just uploaded is a good example of when you cannot take one shot and have it express the full import of the situation. Because of lighting and other problems, I had to take 10 shots and using PS I was able to combine different areas to the get the exact effect of this gorgeous place.
Only with a valuable tool like PS can you do this.
You can look at the full photo in my uploaded images.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jake Ripley on March 29, 2008 at 8:20am: how many of you go onto forums & see pictures posted, and have random people say "photoshopped". Everyones so quick to judge pictures now because photoshop will allow anyone to take a perfect picture, given the right knowledge in photoshop. Don't get me wrong, I love the program, but I like it from an integration, or design perspective. I can see darkroom style changes in PS, and of course the lovely HDR's. But it goes far beyond that now, when there is opening for complete photo manipulation, it takes the magic out of photography.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary on March 29, 2008 at 8:29am: Well, if you are implying this is complete photo manipulation, I disagree. This is one area, in one location, and the only manipulation is having the ability to allow it to be viewed 'AS IS'. This is not possible with just "one shot" and publish.
Actually photoshop did not allow me to "take the perfect picture", I took the perfect picture. Photoshop allowed me to convey all of the intricate nuances that would be completley missed without the compilation.
Remember, the human eye sees perfectly because it can process all kinds of information that the CCD cannot. The camera only "sees" luminosity and not colors.
Actually, the output of the CCD is NOT an image it is just a bunch of numbers realying information about the RGB values on the CCD.
So...where does the image come from? Only by manipulating and using software does an image appear. Do you think the human eye is wrong in this "manipulation".
I welcome this discussion and forgive me if I seem to critical. I love this type of discussion. Keep it going.
thanks for your patience.
Gary; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jake Ripley on March 29, 2008 at 8:49am: that actually wasn't to your post Gary, it was to Cher, but your photo comes at a really good time. That is the type of photoshop I can understand (and am trying to use myself). However, when a photo is manipulated past the potential of a film camera, I feel it has left the photography relm and entered Graphic Design. I shoot digital so I'm very familiar with photoshop, and I do use it occasionally to boost up some colors, or get rid of a smudge on my sensor. And lately I have been messing with the Merge to HDR feature, which is a lot like what you did with that photo. but thats a distinct look, and apreciated for that very reason.

I know what u mean about being critical, I'm afraid I'm going to end up offending someone myself, but thats far from my intentions. Keep it going, it's a good topic.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary on March 29, 2008 at 8:54am: Thanks for your comments. You con't offend anyone I think. I love your site. Very energetic.; ▶ Reply to This