...been browsing photo editing softwares and been reading a whole lot of digital photography books too. I was so surprised when i found out that you can do a whole lot of picture altering, like putting good sunrays on a picture and it does look real. Is it OK to do that? How far can you digitally enhanced a photograph and still consider it honest?

Depends on what you intend to create. Are you doing photojournalism and fine art photography?

Well this is a question of integrity. You may truncate the photos however you want it... I think it is still an honest photography as long as you still recognize the add ons and all the editings that happened.

check this out
http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/showthread.php?t=8018 (http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/showthread.php?t=8018&highlight=editing+picture+rule)

define honest first, I think. Because if we are to define beauty in its pure and unaltered form, then almost all of human beauty we see printed is unreal (clothed, made-up, posed, lit, photoshopped. )

People nowadays have such high standards of beauty. If we want to create beauty, we sometimes have to fake it. Even artificial lighting is not natural (duh.) righ? You just add it on. Same goes for makeup and hairstyles and editing.

I think that as long as the image is not created for the purpose of misleading then it can be considered as honest. For me, a "posed" photograph in photojourn is worse than one that naturally occured but was post-processed heavily. Even a fat woman made slim in photoshop is fine, as long as the image is not used as a before-after ad for slimming product.


Bottomline, honesty is still gauged by your own conscience. With this in mind, I think we all know how far we could go with digital enhancement. :)

in photojournalism, adding and/or deleting something in the picture is/are not allowed; however, enhancing it is acceptable ...

in advertising, my understanding is that there is total freedom ...

in photo contests, rules are made as to how far post processing can be made ...

purists will always take the conservative side ...

guess, it all depends on the purpose ...

...been browsing photo editing softwares and been reading a whole lot of digital photography books too. I was so surprised when i found out that you can do a whole lot of picture altering, like putting good sunrays on a picture and it does look real. Is it OK to do that? How far can you digitally enhanced a photograph and still consider it honest?


Deejay take a look at this one...

http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/showpost.php?p=225841&postcount=1

We've pretty much discussed this in great detail already, haven't we?

nai!! embarrassing...sorry po..i dont really browse for related subjects....the question came up just a few hours ago when i was reading my book... thanks for the link anyway. :)

anyhow, thanks all for the replies :)...mareng john, i was embarrassed!! i need to do more browsing in here i guess, before opening my mouth ...:)

jun staana : thank you, thats basically wot i need to know... :)

mr ben: just a hobbyist :)...no more than that..was just curious

joyce : thanks but i kinda disagree with some of wot u said...but i respect ur opinion :)

thank u thank u!!

anyhow, thanks all for the replies :)...mareng john, i was embarrassed!! i need to do more browsing in here i guess, before opening my mouth ...:)

jun staana : thank you, thats basically wot i need to know... :)

mr ben: just a hobbyist :)...no more than that..was just curious

joyce : thanks but i kinda disagree with some of wot u said...but i respect ur opinion :)

thank u thank u!!


:)Hey! Deejay that's fine no worries... actually this is a good one for those who are starting photography and photoshop... they will be aware of "Do's & "Dont's" procedures % policy!:Grin:

Thank you for bringing this up again on the page...

*:)Sir.David Tong thank you for sharing this information.

Cheers!

i guess if you're going to publish it on a newspaper or other factual meadia, there should be no alteration or maybe some adjustments in levels/curves to see more details.

2 Things will dictate this: Integrity and Aesthetics

Depends on the need or the industry. If you're shooting for broadsheets or documentary, then minimal or no altering should be done.

If you're doing weddings or birthdays etc, then the requirement is aesthetics. What will make the photo look good but still tell the same story is what the clients will want to see.

I remember DPP's early days... :D this topic was a hit!!!

By the way, are you related to PJYoung?

2 Things will dictate this: Integrity and Aesthetics

Depends on the need or the industry. If you're shooting for broadsheets or documentary, then minimal or no altering should be done.

If you're doing weddings or birthdays etc, then the requirement is aesthetics. What will make the photo look good but still tell the same story is what the clients will want to see.

I concur! I guess that's why people/consumer are willing to pay more for slides than for the digital photo. The first question the buyer asks ' Are these shots made digitally ? '

Then when you show them the actual slides on a light-table, there is usually no bargaining at all ! Show them prints made digitally, and they seem to believe all digital shots are a dime a dozen.

photoshop = plastic surgery. you can either deny or acknowledge the process done to you or your work. :)