JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

And again, was Ansel Adams' darkroom manipulation not important to the impact of his photographs? Back shooting film, or digital now, even if my photo was as good as it possibly could be in the camera, I could always find some way to improve it in the darkroom or on the computer. Or maybe you don't think we should be striving to make the best image we can.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

htbrown Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

Speaking for myself, I agree that, ideally, the post-processing should be invisible. Not all agree and that's cool too.

However, when I go back and look at photos I processed a few years ago, I see obvious post-processing artifacts that were invisible or acceptable to me then, which I would not tolerate today. So it's a moving target. That's not a bad thing - learning and improving are what keep this interesting, nay?

When I look at pictures on this forum I see a wide spectrum of skill, experience, and taste. If it's not to my taste, I move on. No bid deal. And who knows? I might even learn something from the way someone else did it.

bikertut Loc: Kingsville, MO

I wonder if there are forums for oil or acrylic artists where they have discussions about certain paintings that aren’t artistic enough because they look “too photographic”.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

While I dislike oversaturation and overcooking on my own images, I sometimes applaud it in others' images. Sometimes it expresses imagination and artistic liberties. That's fine. Sometimes I feel like images posted actually NEED some PP, but that's normally because my taste runs to slightly dense images with bright colours and the image(s) presented look sort of dull. Each person has his own idea of what is pleasing.

GAS496 Loc: Arizona

In full disclosure I shoot exclusively with large format film, Tri-X developed in D-76. Can’t get any more traditional than that. So yes I agree that much of the work we see in galleries, magazines, art shows, and this site are what I call over saturated to my eye. But this is apparently what the people want.

Funny thing about it though is each year I enter a juried art show in the city I live I have won either first or second place with my analog prints, one year I won first and second place. I have to tell you the digital prints entered are magnificent in many ways and I am at a loss on why the nationally chosen judges choose mine over their beautiful skilled work. Tradition? Appreciation of the analog process? Or are they tired of the over saturated color and manipulation?

timcc Loc: Virginia

Are you sure that white stuff you put in your coffee this morning was actually sugar??

Advark

Great comment.
I share your view.
One of my favorite sayings (I made it up) is, "Photoshop (post processing) is not photography".

I can hear the "howls" now.

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

If a person takes a picture, that photo belongs to them, and therefore has a right to do as they please with it, whether it be heavy processing, or whatever. I personally prefer SOOC, concentrating on the best composition I can get, with MAYBE some minimal editing... If I don't like the results, then into the little trashcan it goes.

Una

Agree completely . It drives me nuts !
It’s like plastic surgery for photography 😣

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Bob, first, welcome aboard the UHH. I am sure you will find much to keep you busy here. We look forward to seeing photographs you submit. But don't be surprised if some people don't care for them for whatever reason they might have. Hundreds of people submit photos to the forum. Some are exquisitely breath taking, beautiful, artful and so on. Others are boring, out of focus, blurry, no main subject to the picture and so on. But the one thing that makes us all equal is that those pictures that are boring, out of focus and so on are happily shared by those people. My point is you might see photos that are over processed (and I agree with you that some are definitely over processed) but those photos are how the photographer wants them displayed. It is as simple as that.

You will see many photographs here that you, me and others will think are terrible. Many people shoot photos of the moon or of pets they love, children too. To many of us the photos are simply not good at all. Most likely you will see photos of the moon taken with a wide angle lens. The moon will be a bright dot on the photo. But that photographer might be brand spanking new to photography with a brand new top of the line starter camera such as a Nikon 5300. They didn't even think the moon would register on their sensor yet there it is and they are happy.

That's it in a nutshell. Submit your photos and though I am sure they are up to professional photographer standards you may find not all of us like the photo or can find some nit to pick with it.

Dennis

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Thanks Linda. As usual you are absolutely correct. "Happiness needs only be in the mind of the photographer." That was said once by the world famous photographer, in his own mind, Dennis.

Dennis

Stash Loc: South Central Massachusetts

I agree with Linda

TheDman Loc: USA

Photoshop is darkroom work.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Not if your greatest work came from the Fotomat ...