Help me

[Grant]

I'm not usually this indecisive about my photography, but lately I've been wondering whether my new angle on photography was worth venturing down.

I started photography by doing a lot of photoshop work, really finishing off a photograph, cropping, dodging, burning, spot removing, colour enhancements, sometimes I'd change an image quite drastically to the original and end up with something I was really happy with, but felt I cheated somewhat.

Lately I've given myself rules to stick to. Such as No cropping and only using Lightroom, converting to black and white, adjusting the tone and such - and leaving it at that. I end up getting images I'm not extatic over, but ones that I'm happy to say aren't 'cheated'. The quality of my images have definately deteriorated over the course of the 2 years I've had my camera due to this...strict ruling I've given myself.

I'm hoping to continue on this route of being strict, and hopefully enhance myself as a photographer, and not a photoshopper. But I have to wonder whether in this day and age, if this is a bad decision in terms of it one day becoming a career that may, or may not require extensive editing.

Link to my gallery - This is in chronological order starting with newest first...

What gets (hopefully) discussed here should help me decide - I'd appreciate your opinion folks!

 

[dazzajl]

As far as I can work out, there are really just two reasons to make photographs.

One, to keep your clients happy and a roof over you head and two, to make you satisfied and happy.

If it's the second that has you picking up your camera then you need to follow your heart. Certainly the restrictions that you've imposed on yourself will improve your camera craft as you strive to get back some of the creative control you've given up. If you have a vision in your minds eye though when you fire the shutter, there is alot to be said for using all the tools at your command to make that vision a reality.

It sounds to me like you've been using the computer very much like a traditional darkroom and this has always been a huge part of bringing B&W to life. I'm not sure that your creativity should be stiffled just because you want better camera technique. Surely the two are not mutually exclusive.

If you're shooting to make money or develop a commercial career. Then I don't think you should give using PS a second thought. Just use whatever you can to produce the images you need to.

 

[Grendel]

I can sympathise with your predicament and I wish I had your dicipline. I feel I do way too much in PS to get my photography right but don't have the confidence yet to trust what comes out the camera.

fwiw I've followed pretty much all you've posted since u joined TPF and I've been damn impressed with your work so far. I'd go so far as to say some of it is pretty inspirational. IMHO you shouldn't deviate from you're current path, you're going in the right direction. You're a damn good photog sir!

 

[Grant]

As far as I can work out, there are really just two reasons to make photographs.

One, to keep your clients happy and a roof over you head and two, to make you satisfied and happy.

If it's the second that has you picking up your camera then you need to follow your heart. Certainly the restrictions that you've imposed on yourself will improve your camera craft as you strive to get back some of the creative control you've given up. If you have a vision in your minds eye though when you fire the shutter, there is alot to be said for using all the tools at your command to make that vision a reality.

It sounds to me like you've been using the computer very much like a traditional darkroom and this has always been a huge part of bringing B&W to life. I'm not sure that your creativity should be stiffled just because you want better camera technique. Surely the two are not mutually exclusive.

If you're shooting to make money or develop a commercial career. Then I don't think you should give using PS a second thought. Just use whatever you can to produce the images you need to.

I appreciate the words, and you've opened my eyes in terms of what you said about concentrating on making my vision a reality, and not so much how I make it a reality. If I have something in mind I should use everything in my arsenal to create that - I appreciate that!

I can sympathise with your predicament and I wish I had your dicipline. I feel I do way too much in PS to get my photography right but don't have the confidence yet to trust what comes out the camera.

fwiw I've followed pretty much all you've posted since u joined TPF and I've been damn impressed with your work so far. I'd go so far as to say some of it is pretty inspirational. IMHO you shouldn't deviate from you're current path, you're going in the right direction. You're a damn good photog sir!

The words mean a lot, cheers! I just never want to hit a happy medium and carry my photography on a content stroll, I want to push myself, strive for being better at each skill, I just feel I'm pushing as far as I can with restricting myself from major editing, and it isn't really getting me anywhere.

 

[Witch]

Maybe what it boils down to is what your vision is when you take a particular shot. I sometimes take something knowing I'm going to convert to mono, dodge and burn to bring out detail etc. It must bge said that something I alter drastically my own mind thinks of as "an image" not "A photograph" which I guess maybe sums up my personal theory on the matter.

Of course we all want to improve our technical photographic ability, but don't beat yourself up over it for goodness sake! If you take a shot and need to drastically alter it because it wasn't a good shot due to composition, lighting etc in the first place, that's very different IMO to editing a shot to enhance and bring out the detail it was taken to capture.

For what it's worth, I try to stick fairly closely to what would have been possible in years gone by either by selecting a particular film, or in the darkroom.

 

[The_old_man]

Been through this one myself and came to the conclusion that its the image that matters. when you phoptoshop an image you start to see what you are changing and start to adapt your taking of shots to adjust. This leads to less editing in the computer

My advice, forget the process and start making images that please you. Regardless of how you get to the end result, the image is the result and that needs to be the first and last thought.

In photography, the end DOES justify the means!

 

[-Oy-]

My advice, forget the process and start making images that please you. Regardless of how you get to the end result, the image is the result and that needs to be the first and last thought.

In photography, the end DOES justify the means!

*Applause!

 

[mrgubby]

*Applause!

some from me as well

 

[dazzajl]

Regardless of how you get to the end result, the image is the result and that needs to be the first and last thought.

Well to bring some balance to that comment. I can't agree with you there.

I accept that the image is obvioulsy a rather important part of the deal with photography but surely I can't be the only person here who feels that journey is at least as important as the destination.

For me the experience and process of making a photograph can be by far the most rewarding aspect and go on to outweigh the pleasure of looking at it.

I think this can be true for any artist who gets lost in the process of making thier vision but is particularly strong it seems, with people who shoot landscapes.

Of course while we seem to differ on this point and could probably spend a great evening down the pub on the subject, I think we've kinda said the same thing as far as Caesura's question is concerened.

Do what makes you happy.

 

[Grant]

More points raised that I didn't quite think about!

To be honest, the journey to the final image is just as important as the final image itself, much like what dazzajl said.

Thanks for the help folks, it's opening my eyes to more and more avenues.

 

[Kandy Jones]

My advice, forget the process and start making images that please you. Regardless of how you get to the end result, the image is the result and that needs to be the first and last thought.

In photography, the end DOES justify the means!

Totally agree. I love taking photos and I love 'creating' prints. It's not cheating, it's enhancing or 'creating'. It's a good discipline to get back to basics sometimes; set up on tripod, take time to check what you are actually photographing - do you really need that telegraph pole in or can you lose it to improve the pic by moving the camera round on the tripod etc. Light is what makes photographs, is it a good day lightwise? If not but you love the subject, take it and use Photoshop as any chemical darkroom....but don't stop your imagination... it's good to be creative.
I'm just trying to say that it's no sin to create in Photoshop, after all we will all miss out on some amazing pictures if restrictions are placed on what is and what is not 'photography'. Just go with what you feel!