Do you think editing software can HURT photography?

[pixmedic]

Facebook and instagram are nuthin' new. Photography's always had a wad of little angry schools of Artists who hate one another and think the other guys are all wrong, but they can agree on ONE thing which is that those ****ing amateurs are ruining the whole thing running around taking millions of lousy pictures. Then a few years later you see an angry little school of Artists who have co-opted what the ****ing amateurs were doing a few years back, and now that school hates all the other Artists and what the ****ing amateurs are doing NOW.

yea, i was totally being sarcastic BTW. im sure you knew that though, because the "likes"= professional gave it away.

 

[amolitor]

I always assume that you are half insane with sleep deprivation and overwork, and so sarcasm might be freely mixed with philosophy, opinion and, for all I know, actual legit prophecy Direct From God! So, I try to pay attention. I'd hate to miss the apocalypse or something.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

There are photographers who edit just enough.. and there are graphic artists / abusers who can barely take a photo... It is usually easy to tell the difference!

This.

 

[invisible]

I think that filters can be cool and such but only if used in moderation, to the point that the viewer might or might not realize that a filter was used. Most photos heavily processed with filters will likely not stand the test of time – you know, like the hair-metal look and sound of the eighties... In retrospect you can't take any of those musicians or their work seriously, even if you did back in the day (I didn't, but they sold zillions of records worldwide so I'm sure someone did like their stuff).

If you're photographing and processing for the present, by all means go nuts – there's a massive market for that, and the success of something like Instagram is proof.

What? You are kidding, right? Come on, man.. Twisted Sister will LIVE FOREVER!



lol!

I don't know if they'll live forever, but their video for "I Wanna Rock" with the guy from "Animal House" will. What do you wanna do with your life?

 

[pixmedic]

I always assume that you are half insane with sleep deprivation and overwork, and so sarcasm might be freely mixed with philosophy, opinion and, for all I know, actual legit prophecy Direct From God! So, I try to pay attention. I'd hate to miss the apocalypse or something.

sometimes it all just kinda blurs together. we are moving next month so i am picking up a lot of extra shifts...so most of my 24 hour shifts have been running into 36 or 48 hour shift lately. my station averages 2-3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.

as for prophecy, those kind of blur together as well depending on which God I am speaking with at the time, which of course, depends on my particular needs at the moment. For anything work related, Apollo is my go to guy since he covers a few things, including healing. although, Asclepius is a good second, just to be safe. Minerva grants wisdom, (certainly cant have too much of that in the field) And we get a LOT of labor and delivery calls, in which case, I look to Juno.

 

[kathyt]

I think they can work well if applied in moderation ....It is kind of like the women who applies so much makeup that her real beauty is destroyed ...we have all seen women like this

What do you mean? I thought the plastic look was the "it" thing right now for photogs? Are over-sharpened eyes out too? Damn!

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I like the image. Perhaps a bit less skin smoothing, the eyes look good.

 

[Rick58]

I just got Topaz Labs and all of the plugins except the black and white plug in.

Anyway, my mind is spinning with how many different effects and different things I can do with my photos now.

The problem is, do you think effects and changing the photo after the fact tends to make people ( in general ) lazy? As in, I can go take a picture of the clouds right now, put some kind of dynamic, fake hdr, contrast adjust, add rain drop, add stars, add fake money raining from the sky effect and make it cool. Not all of those at the same time, but you get my point.

Do you feel like all these software programs contribute to photos LACKING in interest because a picture of a shoe can now be interesting because it has a cool feature? Or do you think these types of software ADD interest, because of the same reason?

I also see A LOT of skin treatments on this site and others where just BECAUSE they CAN, they over soften skin tones and make people look fake, where do we draw the line?

Please add your own comments on the subject if you want.

I know exactly what you're thinking. In a previous thread, I mentioned photography becoming computer wizardry.

I actually just thought this again while recently shooting the peppers.
Take a shot, view, adjust, take a shot,view adjust. Now imagine this scenario in 4x5 or 8x10.

View attachment 33719


There was a trash can behind this soldier and litter in the grass. Not computer wizardry?

 

[pixmedic]

I just got Topaz Labs and all of the plugins except the black and white plug in.

Anyway, my mind is spinning with how many different effects and different things I can do with my photos now.

The problem is, do you think effects and changing the photo after the fact tends to make people ( in general ) lazy? As in, I can go take a picture of the clouds right now, put some kind of dynamic, fake hdr, contrast adjust, add rain drop, add stars, add fake money raining from the sky effect and make it cool. Not all of those at the same time, but you get my point.

Do you feel like all these software programs contribute to photos LACKING in interest because a picture of a shoe can now be interesting because it has a cool feature? Or do you think these types of software ADD interest, because of the same reason?

I also see A LOT of skin treatments on this site and others where just BECAUSE they CAN, they over soften skin tones and make people look fake, where do we draw the line?

Please add your own comments on the subject if you want.

I know exactly what you're thinking. In a previous thread, I mentioned photography becoming computer wizardry.

I actually just thought this again while recently shooting the peppers.
Take a shot, view, adjust, take a shot,view adjust. now imagine this scenario in 4x5 or 8x10.

View attachment 33719


There was a trash can behind this soldier and litter in the grass. Not computer wizardry?

a lot of things done in the darkroom years ago were considered photographic "wizardry" at the time.
the medium has changed, the processes have changed, but the overall effect, especially to those that don't know how its done, is the same.

 

[Rick58]

I hear what you're saying PM. Screw on a red filter, turn a blue sky black. Tilt the eazel to fix converging lines, dodge, burn, double expose.

This is all manipulation, but todays digital still feels different. It's a long way from 8x10 contact printing.

 

[kathyt]

I like the image. Perhaps a bit less skin smoothing, the eyes look good.

I went into PS and took this image to an extreme on purpose. I think it is a bit much on all levels. She looks like a barbie doll.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I like the image. Perhaps a bit less skin smoothing, the eyes look good.

I went into PS and took this image to an extreme on purpose. I think it is a bit much on all levels. She looks like a barbie doll.

NEED TO B MORE xTREME!!