What is the limit on altering photos?

saddog

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I'm new and this question may have been answered but is there a limit on how much photoshopping can be done before it's not a photo or should not be put on this forum?

I like to see what people can do but maybe there is another location on this forum.
biker2jk.jpg
 
Whoa... Talk about your loaded questions. Definitely a question for a smarter man than me. The all powerful and benevolent mod's will move the thread accordingly.

But... since you asked... Photoshop is a tool not a crutch. I try to spend as little time as possible with the pshop editing. It may be mostly what YOU perceive to be art. Of course commit some time and make conscious decisions blah, blah, blah. When you have something that you are proud of or even remotely like; print it or post it. Study it untill you are blue in the face. Then go back to the drawing board (so to speak).

For instance; this photo. Seems like you have a good original, but I am not sure what you are trying to say with the filter effect.
 
this image looks like paint effect! i quite like it, very artistic, the way you've finished it around the edges. as far as the amount of photoshopping you can use, that's up to your own taste, break a leg!!! btw welcome.
 
Apart from doing the standards,ie,cropping,colour correction,etc there is no limit,and you will soon know when it turns ugly,just do it again.I like your watercolour interpretation,very neat and not overdone.
 
thanks, being a graphic artist I just can't seem to leave a lot of things alone.
I know that the final result is what your judged on, if I step over any boundries let me know. I would like to see some work other people have done.
 
well I do not use photoshop, ok, very rarely, once for every 150 shots :) and I'm afraid this one os not a photo any longer, IMO. But still is very artistic :D
 
I am with Mentos in that this has left the boundaries of "photography" in the strictest of senses. But that doesn't mean that his kind of conversion is "forbidden" or "not allowed" or "gone too far". You have taken things far with this particular photo because you wanted to, and that decision is all yours, who are we to tell you right or wrong? Some may like it, others might not like it... it all depends. All things are flowing in the Arts, I think, there are no "rules" - we have come to the conclusion here on this very board that even the basic "rules" that apply to photos or paintings alike (rule of thirds, just to mention ONE) can be ignored here and there, if ignoring them makes the picture a stronger one.

Look into these two threads to see what my sister and I did to some of my photos... it was FUN! And we like the results:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19607
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19608
 
Folks have been posterizing and solarizing in the darkroom for many years, haven't they? Seems like that's a more intense distortion of a photograph than a watercolor filter.
 

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