DaveC1 Loc: South East US

I have a question that maybe some of you can answer. As I look at many, but not all, of the photos posted on UHH there is the look of what in the art world is called photo realism. By that I mean the photos look like very carefully crafted oil paintings and not like photos at all.

Can anyone explain what I am seeing? I assume it has to do with the post processing of the photo.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The answer is "yes" on processing. But, your question would help with some references to specific examples. You might too send a PM directly to the photographer asking if they can comment on the tools and processing performed.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

DaveC1 - Would you please post some examples of exactly what you mean so that we can respond more specifically?
I don’t believe the crafted oil painting look is the same thing as “photo realism” (journalistic photography).
Since I might be wrong, you can help to educate me with examples on the topic.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

I hate to use examples of other folks work that is here on UHH, as its not meant as a criticism. I can snap a photo of some paintings that I have that illustrate the look if that will help you.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

The photos don’t look like photos???

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Do you mean something that looks like Thomas Kinkade art?

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

You get into a bunch of unanswerable questions. What is art? My vision is different than your vision. What is a realistic photo? Whose realism? For that matter, what is realism? My answeres will be different will than yours. Who is right? ME

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I think I understand what you are asking (saying), but you are using the term "photo realism" in reverse of what it means (officially or originally). Photo Realism was a school of Painting and later Drawing and Air Brushing that produced images that look (overly) real like an actual photograph. What you probably meant was Painterly Photographs (digital). I've done that on occasion with Topaz. What you are likely seeing and not liking is the use of HDR, and amping up the color saturation and sharpness too high. So yes, in a way some of these images you see are like a photo realism painting. But in some cases that can be good as either an actual photo or a real painting. I've seen examples elsewhere where you can not tell what medium of art you are looking at. Yes, it is post processing and its use or over use.

Personally for my own photography I process a majority of my images minimally with ACR and Ps CS6. I usually strive for an image that looks like the best possible image I could have gotten if I had shot it with film (minus the grain). Meaning my processing usually produces a fairly traditional photograph. Though I think I am a better digital photographer today than I was as a film photographer. Other times I may go wild with processing and create abstract images. I even shoot abstract subjects. On occasion I have used Topaz Impression 2 to create "paintings" out of an image. But most of the time I create photographs that look like "photographs". With other's photos I am much more open minded (to a limit). Just have fun.

DaveC1: We'd have to ask, how are you creating your own photographs? Are you not using some PP? Or are you shooting JPGs and using them right out of the camera? If so you are missing much of the fun of digital photography. Even with film photography much of the creativity was done in the dark room while printing. Much of Photographic Art today is merging with Graphic Art. This is neither good nor bad. Many photographers made photo that did not look like "photos" since at least 1900 (and truly surreal by 1930). There are all types of photography and images out there since Joseph Nicéphore Niépce's first ever in 1826 or 27 (it was not made public until 1837). Enjoy.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Would reading about Group f.64 help? Pictorialism vs photo realism, which is not the same as photo journalism.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

I don't seem to be able to post a photo to this thread so I'm going to post a new topic with a photo of a painting that Illustrates what I'm talking about, as far as the oil art work goes.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-511541-1.html

So, the URL above is a photo of an oil on board that is what I call photo realism.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

This is in reference to my earlier post http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-511524-1.html Thanks for your understanding.

(Download)

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

So yes, I believe what your are saying in the first paragraph may be what I'm seeing.

And as to the point in your last paragraph I am shooting raw and post processing in three or four programs, mostly Raw Therapee. That includes the things I shoot in film and scan.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You've lost me ... maybe others. This is a photo of a painting ....

If you want to post an attachment in a reply, use the <Reply> or <Quote Reply> buttons. They give the buttons for adding an attachment. The Quick Reply box at the bottom of the page does not.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

Thanks for the information on how to post a photo. If I need to do so with this one I'll do so.

But to answer your question this is a photo of a painting that illustrates the kind of oil paintings I'm talking about. to my eye some of the photos posted here have that kind of look like they are not photographs but are very carefully crafted paintings.

I believe that lamiaceae may have answered my question in the first paragraph of his reply above.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I went to the newest photo view. This might not be the best example, but I just scrolled until I saw a thumbnail I could tell has been processed by a Topaz plug-in (or similar)

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-511490-1.html#8647705