I have recently caught myself shooting pictures not because they would come out amazing but because I would edit them later and add all the things that the photograph is missing. I am still trying to figure out if this is good or bad. Photography is about capturing that perfect image. Art is about creating a perfect image by whatever means you choose. So if I take pictures knowing that they are not good photos until I throw in a bucket of Photoshop on them, would they still be considered good photos as an end result?
I browse through many portfolios and artworks on daily basis and granted there are many different styles and techniques, but there are just so many pictures out there that if we looked at them without any Photoshop we would discard them immediately and never look back. So does that cheapen the art of Photography or enhance it?
Why is there such a demand in today’s world for Photoshop and for overhauling each and every photograph until the subject is drowning in manufactured pixels? Isn’t human imperfection what makes us unique and beautiful? Sometimes I would look at two different models edited so heavily that they look exactly the same down to the shape of their eyes. Now I am at fault for doing this myself. When looking at the photograph I want to remove every smudge and blemish that makes the picture less than fantastic. Now if I come out with a good image in the end, what does that say about my photography? Is the result the most important thing?
Please let me know what you think.
