Digital BW, The Print

Carolyn,
 
Now there is a hot topic! If you check back on the Piezo list in 
about June of this year the debate on this was hot and heavy for 
quite some time. It hit every position from any manipulation beyond 
what could be done in a darkroom violated the inherent trust a viewer 
has in a photograph to any manipulation or combination is fine. I 
believe we hit at least 256 shades of gray in between!
 
It is a very pertinent topic and one that all photographers need to 
consider in the digital age. The discussion forced me to evaluate my 
own practices both before and after the shot is taken, and to reach a 
decision for myself. Since I take "found" images in outdoor settings 
I decided I would just remove objects I felt were intrusive such as 
the branch that degrades the composition, the string of telephone 
lines in the distance, etc., but that I would not add anything from a 
different image. My personal decision for my own work.

Beyond that, my only opinion is in regard to images presented as 
photojournalism and documentary photography. In these areas I feel 
very that any alternation of the subject is unethical.
 
Martin



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Carolyn  Frayn 
<carolyn@u...> wrote:
> 
> I find your views on this very interesting. Having focused on Black 
and
> White photography "after" gaining experience digitally I do not get 
hung up
> on the "is it digital/manipulated?" pro's and con's. I just shoot 
what I
> like and then if required I edit it in Photoshop. Always having the 
thought
> that I can remove or fix what displeases me later.
> 
> As you have a more traditional photographic background I'm curious, 
did you
> first take offense at what editing skills photoshop offered when 
you were
> first introduced to it?  There has been so much debate in the 
magazines and
> on the web over the years about the manipulation of "pure" 
photography and
> whether it renders it unacceptable to some groups of people. Did 
you feel
> that way at one time and change your mind... or were you always 
open to new
> ways to interpret your work?
> 
> 
> Carolyn
> 
> > 
(snip)