Is photo manipulation cheating? Or is it a necessary part of the artistic process? Does it matter?
These questions have been argued for years on photo forums, with strong feelings in both camps. The discussions have turned Photoshop from a noun to a verb. But photo manipulation did not begin with Photoshop. This month we'll discuss/critique one of Ansel Adams' most famous images,
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. This image was rather heavily manipulated, though in the darkroom rather than in the computer. For your review, the original and the final, edited version are included below.
Adams himself needs no introduction on a photography forum, and this image likely doesn'Ât either. Many photographers already hold opinions about this photograph and whether it constitutes some of Adams' best work, or whether it is over-valued. Adams himself felt it was a special image, obtained in difficult shooting conditions on a day when nothing had gone right (something we can all relate to). We ask you to share your opinions of
Moonrise here, and feel free to include your own thoughts about photo editing especially as it pertains to landscape or fine art images.
We also invite you to share one of your own landscape images, with and/or without editing, if you wish, to illustrate your opinion of the role of photo editing in today'Âs photographic world.
When posting your thoughts, think about some of the major elements of any good work of art:
* Light, Color, Moment, Composition, Distance and of course the Subject
Additionally:
* What do you see? How does it make you feel? Do you like it, why or why not? If you could, how would you change it? Without knowing its value, would you put it on your wall?
Here are more links to get you thinking
*10 Questions to Ask When Taking a Photo
http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions*5 Fundamental elements of great photos
http://www.lightstalking.com/5-fundamental-elements-of-great-photographsSome resources about
Moonrisehttp://www.kevinshick.com/blog/2013/4/revisiting-hernandez-nmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonrise,_Hernandez,_New_Mexico
http://www.silberstudios.tv/dev/blog/2016/06/ansel-adams-revisits-famous-photograph/http://www.anseladams.com/ansel-anecdotes/http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/features/grant/ansel-adams-moonrise-hernandez-8-31-11.aspA recent article about photography, art, and where editing fits in
http://davidduchemin.com/2016/06/cameras-dont-make-photographs