eskimoky

Hello.im new here,but i have a question:at what point does a photograph Become a computer generated image?is there categories recognizing un retouched pics in photo contests? I understand that light adjustments being made ,but subtracting items in the shot or moving them in a frame to make the pic more eye pleasing seems like the photo somehow becomes unreal.i know this is probably a much argued topic,but i couldnt find it in the topics list kenny

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

That is a line that is drawn by whoever runs the contest or show. You'll need to ask them. It will probably be different for each show or contest.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Depends on how one defines "photograph".

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Some competitions require minimal editing. It needs to be as it was taken.

Many more competitions require a "finished" image. If there are flaws, such as garbage on the grass, spots of pollen on a flower where it is not supposed to be, blemishes on a portrait, dust spots, etc - these images will not score as well as those where the blemishes and flaws have been removed. I wish I had a dime for every time I've heard a judge at a photo competition say, "Gee, it's too bad you left that _____ in the image. My eye just can't stop going to it."

In general, a finished image has few of those flaws, and looks better than one where the flaws are left in place.

TheDman Loc: USA

As you're using a computer to capture it, I would say the instant you click.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

Drawing the line between when a "photograph" becomes instead a "computer generated image" is somewhat subjective; it depends to a large extent on the types and extent of manipulations, and personal opinions and philosophies as to what constitutes each category. Most of the time it doesn't really matter; the important thing is the final image and how the creator and other viewers react to it. If you are making an image for hanging in your home or office, or you are selling the image to others as art, where that line is drawn by you or others is pretty much irrelevant.

Things are different with competitions. In competitions the organizers may choose to draw that line, and as a competitor, agree or not, that is the requirement that you must follow if you choose to compete. Take note that the rules pertaining to how much computer editing may be done may vary across different categories within the same competition. The nature or wildlife category, for instance, may have rules which allow for only the most minor edits, whereas the "open" or "pictorial" category may have no restrictions on editing whatsoever. I have one image, for example, that is a composite of the foreground from one exposure and the sky for a second exposure of the same scene. It has done very well in competitions in the open class, but is ineligible for entry in the nature category at the same competition. One simply needs to be aware of what that competition's rules say.

eskimoky

0k much thanks! This has given me insights as to what i need to look for before submitting photos!

JPL

If you take the photo with a digital camera it is always a computer generated image. But if you still use film, it is not.

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

Yep, Technically ALL digital photographs are computer generated images!

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

cthahn

When you hear the click in the camera.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I try to do everything I can in camera. But, even in my dark room days (well actually not because I painted my dark room with white gloss paint and with the safe light on it was OK) I manipulated my prints just enough to help, I do the same today with my digital images, just a slight alteration here in there to make a great photo look greater.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Eskimoky, Go to search at top of page. Type in "Art Reality" and there will be shown a lot of previous discussions.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

A digital image is just a collection of 1s and 0s, arranged in a pleasing way. A photograph is a photograph, and you usually can't tell how much, if any, processing has been done to it. The goal is to produce and image.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Unless you used a Polaroid in the film days the image was not done until you made a print from the negative (this is the same as computer from digital only easier now). So what I am getting at is that some form of manipulation has always been done in photography and to give it a degree of manipulation is speculative.