Tag Archives: Images

File format – which type is right for photo-editing

Posted on November 28, 2020 by InCamera | Comments Off

Lone Walker Misty Morning. © Silke Stahl (with permission)
Problems can arise when editing with *.jpg files. Hence, the heavy red colour cast.
{Click image to view large}

Applications usually have a file format associated with them. Editors, like Photoshop, are no different. The native Photoshop file format is *.psd files. However, image editing applications can also use, and work in, a wide range of other file formats. So, what is going on?

Most applications have a native file format. The format is designed specifically to allow the application to use certain data structures and have specific abilities. So, programmers design an optimised file format to ensure storage and data-use in the application is efficient. That means files can be manipulated or re-used quickly and successfully.

Applications are often able to use a variety of formats of the same class. Image programs are a case in point. We know the common file formats for web images quite well. Examples are *.jpg, *.gif, *.png and *.webp. In general, these files are so common that most image editors can work with them. However, being able to use or work with other file formats is not the same as having its own native file type to do exactly what is required. Other formats are usually ‘add-ons’ to the application. The most flexible file type for any application is most likely to be the one it was designed to use.

Specific design

Those four web file formats, mentioned above, hold only the data that is specifically retained for showing the image. There is very little other information in the file. Web image files like these four types carry quite a small amount of data. An Internet picture can be quite a small file size. Whereas, a graphics file from an application like Photoshop needs much more information, structure and data. Such files, in Photoshop (*.psd format), may be a 1000 times larger than Internet *.jpg files.

Fit for purpose – dump the data

Web display file formats, like *.jpg, are small, easily transmitted and quickly displayed. An image editor file is used for storing and manipulating lots of data. However, it is just too large to transmit and display on the Internet. That is true even at today’s high Internet speeds. We routinely use *.jpg images of around 1000Kb (1 Mb) and it only takes seconds to render it in our browser from the Internet. However, when browsers were first invented transmission speeds were much lower. Back then, a 100kb image could take 2 to 3 minutes to render. Consequently, keeping file size down was really important.

Image file formats like *.jpg were optimised for web use and not for image editing. When image editors make these web files they must reduce the file size. So, the image editors literally dump all superfluous data to create them. These file types are generally dubbed ‘lossy’. That is because, when they are created all the data that is irrelevant to the actual display is dumped or lost.

Today, we may use *.jpg files of 1 Mb or more and they render quickly. However, a modern Photoshop file could be 100 Mb or more. If every image was in the Photoshop format (large files), images displayed on the internet would take minutes to render in your browser. A nightmare for web surfers! So, we still need these web-optimised image files.

Each file format has a purpose

Photoshop files have a very sophisticated file format. They handle large amounts of data as well as accurate and varied graphical parameters. They are also optimised for editing changes and to manipulate that data for specific output purposes. But, they tend to be very large files!

Canon, and other camera manufacturers, defined image formats to quickly gather large amounts of image data and organise it into a data file for storage. Then, the camera can quickly store that data. Next, the camera can get back to doing what it does best – the next photo. The RAW file format is specifically designed to quickly capture and store data from the on-camera sensor/computer system. RAW is not designed for editing purposes. Editing files are huge and slow down the file-making process. Not good for a camera!

As a result, we use RAW only for data capture in-camera. Then, the data can be easily loaded into an image editor like Photoshop (a sophisticated editor) or IrfanView (a simple image viewer/handler/editor) and edit it there. Photoshop creates its own file format to work with the data it has loaded. So, it makes a *.psd file. Do your editing in that format. You can save your work in that format too. You can even print in that format.

Working with *.jpg files

A less sophisticated editor, like IrfanView, does not have a native graphical file format. Instead, it will load the RAW file which is output from your camera. However, it will create a *.jpg file for editing. Unfortunately, *.jpg files have to lose a lot of data when they are created. Consequently, the ‘lossy’ format causes that file type to be much less editable.

In common with most other image editors, IrfanView can also save in a range of file formats. However, it works in *.jpg and converts the results to other image file types if you need them. The result is always based on the original *.jpg file. Thus, the editing ability is limited.

Knowing which editor and file format to use

The image at the top of this page is by one of my students, Silke Stahl. The image tells a great little story. It has good compositional structure and the atmosphere she has captured is well balanced. However, while editing the image in IrfanView, she wanted to saturate the reds a little to give more atmosphere to the early sunrise. Great idea!

IrfanView is a brilliant application. It can do a huge range of image related things and it is really fast. However, it is not a very sophisticated image editor. It is intended for very quick, basic and low level edits.

As IrfanView works only with *.jpg, its colour management control is limited. The problem Silke experienced was compounded by the edits being carried out in *.jpg format with its limited capabilities. So, using IrfanView and *.jpg, Silke could not get the control she wanted over the colours and colour balance in the image. Hence, the heavy cast of red throughout. She would have been better working with ‘Curves’ in Photoshop. That facility would allow her to adjust image colour and tone, as well as contrast, with great precision.

Which file format should you use?

This raises an interesting point. We know we cannot use the original RAW file format for image editing. So, should we save the file out of Photoshop as a *.jpg file optimised only for display? You could do so. However, you are limiting the potential to make further changes at a later date. This is because, the *.jpg file from your editor is degraded by all the data it dumps. Worse still, every time you re-edit a *.jpg file it will dump more data and degrade further. The quality of the visible image can be significantly affected.

Editing *.jpg images is very bad practice. The file format gives you very little ability to make changes because of the ‘lossy format’. For best results, edit *.jpg files as little as possible – or better still, not at all. If you need to make changes to your *.jpg file, go back to the high quality graphics file (eg. your Photoshop *.psd file). Make your changes in that file format, save it, and then output/save a new *.jpg version for use on-screen or on the web.

The output file format matters

Image editor applications can export a wide variety of file format types. However, each has different properties and are used in different ways and applications. Here are the important web-based properties of the files we use for screen display and on the web…

A *.jpg image file is relatively small for quick transmission, but it cannot provide transparent backgrounds. Thus, it is sometimes difficult to use on some web pages.
As a format, *.png is similar to *.jpg but can have transparent areas so the webpage to be seen through the transparency.
The *.gif format does provide transparency and can have very small file sizes but a limited colour range. So, it is great for cartoon like images, and little animations.
Recently developed by Google, *.webp format is smaller in size than *.jpg and *.png but has the advantages of both.

Wikipedia lists over 1500 file types . Just over 100 of those have a file format for some sort of image display, printing or manipulation. So, knowing how you will use your image is important. Then, picking the right file format for that purpose is critical to get the best out of your images.

Best practice

Export the RAW file format of image data out of your camera.
Save it as your unspoiled data storage for that image.
Try not to edit *.jpg files from your camera as you cannot edit them effectively.
Open your RAW file in a good editing program (say, Photoshop) and do your edit work.
After editing, create a file saved in the native format for your chosen editor (e.g. *.psd for Photoshop). Keep it for later edits or updates.
For future edits, printing or changes, or to output to a different file format, go back to your *.psd file and re-export in the file format you need (e.g. *.jpg or other display format).

Enjoy your editing, do it using the right file format!

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Related articles/links:
Photokonnexion Photographic Glossary – Definitions and articles.
Definition *.jpg file format. (A Glossary entry).
RAW files. (A Glossary entry).
IrfanView

IrfanView – a great image viewer with lots of other abilities.
The Google *.webp format

Wikipedia lists over 1500 file types

Artwork images – record or new art?

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Damon (Editor) | Comments Off

Artwork images are not as easy to photograph as they seem.
Image of paper art by Peter Gentenaar
More from this artist on: http://www.gentenaar-torley.nl/

Artwork images are sometimes questionable as art

Most photographers look at work by an artist they like and feel compelled to take a picture. Of course it serves to remind them of the art they saw. That is reasonable. The keen photographer thinks differently. They like to see the artwork. They also like to produce photographic art of their own. But more often than not the picture they take is actually a record shot.

It is often said by judges in photographic competition that a sculpture photograph is a record shot. I have said it myself when judging. A pure record is not a piece of art by the photographer. Just exactly what do we mean by that?

Artwork images: Record verses interpretation

An example of a record shot is the photo at the top of this article. This work is by the wonderful paper artist Peter Gentenaar. His work is stimulating and interesting to the eye. Photos of his work bring out the splendour of his art. That is the point. They are less about the photographers interpretation of the art. Instead, they are about repeating the work in its fullness to show the work itself. It is a record. As such, it will show off the skill of the original artist.

Record shots are a legitimate photographic form. But they are often a record of the exhibit - not new photographic artwork images in their own right.

Record shots are a legitimate photographic form. But they are a record of the exhibit – not new photographic artwork in their own right.

[Seen on www.starr-art.com/ on 30/05/2015
Sol LeWittWall Piece,
1988 Painted wood,
76 x 5 x 5 inches
Published by Edition Schellmann,
Munich and New York.]

Reproduction of artworks in a record style is a proper photographic form. For remembrance, or sales purposes, it is fine. For those seeking to make their own art there is something more needed than simply snapping someone else’s work.

That something extra is a new re-interpretation of the work. The photographer has to invest something of their own into the picture. They have to make more of the original artwork than is presented solely by the work itself. There are a number of ways to do this.

A new interpretation may not be a complete image of the work. It may include the full work, or only be a part of it. The environment of the image, how it is presented, or its framing are all important. Overall there will be something in the new artwork images that the photog makes their own.

How can you make new artwork images from an art piece?

In this abstract of another piece by Peter Gentenaar the photographer has not shown the whole piece of work. They have taken a piece of the work that shows the wonderful lines and curves, but as a whole it creates a taste for seeing more.
See: Peter Gentenaar–Paper Magician .

• Abstract artwork images: One way to get something new out of a piece of art is to create an abstract of some sort. Abstract photos can be deeply satisfying to create and provide an interesting image for the viewer to consider. Most of the time abstracts are about making an image of a part of the artwork. An example is shown on the left. There can be a lot more to creating abstract photos than simply framing a bit of the total. The power of abstract is to create the essence of the total.

Abstracts require an eye for what works when the whole is not seen. For more on abstracts see our Abstracts Resources Page.

• Creating an new environment: The environment where sculptures are displayed is often important to the sculpture. Sometimes images are still record shots even if they are not on a simple white background. This link is an example of a Henry Moore sculpture record shot (Author unknown).. The author has displayed the sculpture just as it is with little enhancement. In fact it is almost devoid of its environment. The sky serves only as a backdrop.

The same could be said of this picture of an elephant sculpture (below). The artist has created a superb piece which mimics the body of an elephant defying gravity. The first shot is a pure record shot. But, the second is a superb interpretation of the sculpture in it entirety with an audience, depersonalised by movement blur. Very clever. Both images are taken by the sculptor himself, Daniel Firman. A simple but excellent reinterpretation. Such re-inventions are in themselves artistic. As such they are creating artwork images in their own right.

Gravity-Defying Elephant Sculpture by Daniel Firman.
Images by Daniel Firman.

Published in: Gravity-Defying Elephant Sculpture.
(Seen on WordlessTech 29/05/2015).

Another Henry Moore Sculpture is shown below. This image makes as much of the environment as the sculpture. The artist has created a great panoramic picture using a letter-box crop. The length of the principle subject (the sculpture) is complemented by the almost central position. But, it is highlighted by the mundane, but important line of sheep. The latter gives the eye an excellent weighted contrast to the sculpture in the background. Clever compositional devices like this often create great great artwork images. There is no way this is a record shot.

Artwork images: The compositional devices in this image make it an interesting example.

The compositional devices in this image make it an interesting example of artwork images – definitely not a record shot.
(Seen on: Backstrap Weaving .
(Click the image to see full size).

• Adding something: Another way to make something new of a piece of art is to put something new into, or onto, the piece. I leave the artwork images to your imagination here.

I have often heard judges say about record shots, of say a sculpture, “this needs your hat on it”. Alternatively they might say something like, “a cat just here would make the image something different”. What the judge is saying is, the author has created a shot that does not have anything from the photographer in the image. Whereas, with a little thought, or a little prop, or even a person – the picture could be transformed. Instead of the simple (and boring) representation, the author could have added that little extra that makes the image into a reinterpretation – something different. It would be something created uniquely by the photographer.

Works by you are artwork images

The uniqueness of a photograph is something that makes photography interesting. But, make the main subject a simple representation of somebody else’s work, then the uniqueness is lost. A simple record is created. But with simple compositional thoughts, re-frameing, or the addition of some new aspect, you create a new synthesis. One that is unique to you. One that is a real contribution to the body of artwork images. That is what makes photography so special.

The main point to take from this is simple. Think, plan and consider the composition when taking pictures of other peoples art. A subtle treatment of the art piece can transform it into an image only you could make.

Artwork images – further thinking

Which of these are record shots of Henry Moore Sculptures and which are artwork images by the author…
Henry Moore sculpture on Google Images

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Related articles/links:
Photokonnexion Photographic Glossary – Definitions and articles.

Definition: Record shot
Peter Gentenaar’s website .
Definition: Photog.
Abstract Photography Resources Page
Henry Moore sculpture record shot (Author unknown).
Peter Gentenaar–Paper Magician
WordlessTech
Backstrap Weaving
Henry Moore sculpture on Google Images

Damon Guy (Netkonnexion)

Damon is a writer-photographer and editor of this site. He has run some major websites, a computing department and a digital image library. He started out as a trained teacher and now runs training for digital photogs.
See also: Editors ‘Bio’.
By Damon Guy see his profile on Google+.

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Posted in Competition, Composition, How to..., Insights, Opinion, Photography

Tagged Abstract art, Art, Composition, Creativity, Images, Planning, Record shot, Sculpture

Do you tell a story with your images? Insights, issues and interest…

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Damon (Editor) | Comments Off

• Leopard Seal And Penguin •
From the video, the picture shows a dead penguin and its predator, the leopard seal.

The world of photojournalism is changing…

Worldwide great photojournalists are being sacked and replaced with crowd-sourced images. While the power of amateur images is wonderful, photojournalism is an art that creates great images continuously across a career. The loss of skills like this is a great shame.

The telling of a story is as old as humanity

We all have the power to tell stories. It is one of the things that makes us human. A great story pulls us together in the long dark nights; uplifts us at a moment of depression; chills us; thrills us and helps us to share language. The photostory is one of the great inventions of the last century and in a great photostory we can see all aspects of our daily lives – the extraordinary and the beautiful as much as the ordinary and the ugly.

• Gift •
The deadly predator, the leopard seal, tries to give the diver a gift – a dead penguin.
Taken from the video.

David Griffin: How photography connects us

Photography Director for National Geographic Magazine, David Griffin, recognises the power and insight of photography to connect us through the photostory. In this short video he uses wonderful images and a few great photo-stories he shows us how much we will miss if the era of the photojournalist passes.

National Geographic is one of the worlds greatest photostory magazines and provides endless great imagery. For learner and professional photographer alike. There is a lot to be learned from their images and a lot to be lost if we lose the art of photojournalism.
David Griffin – On how photography connects (Ted Lectures)

More after the image…

• Leopard Seal On The Ice • The leopard seal reclining on the ice. From the video.

The wonder of photo-stories

It is a shame that we are losing the worlds greatest talents in photo-stories. However, we can all make photo-stories within the bounds of our own photography. Here are some of the things that you should consider when putting together a short photo-story…

Impact
From the ordinary to the extraordinary and back
Unique perspectives
Amazing sights, sounds and colours
Lovely light
People or animals
Insight into a situation
The shock from an event
Excitement
Great beauty or great ugliness – or both!
Different lives…
Something from within you

Your story should show your viewers something they normally would not see and, even better, will never see for themselves. If you manage to pack something from each line of this list into your story you will probably have a real hit.

It takes a lot of hard work and very many images to compile a photostory. So, think about what it is you are trying to achieve in advance of your shooting. Try to have a point you want to make and things to show it. Oh, and have fun!

Ted.com

By way of introduction I wanted to say something about origins of the video. It comes from Ted.com which is a non-profit organisation devoted to ideas. New ideas, brilliant ideas and new perspectives on old ideas. The lectures each take around fifteen to twenty minutes. They are delivered by individuals who are at the top of their game – representing the worlds great intellects. The Lectures cover a broad spectrum of ideas across science, society, technology and nature, ethics and human insights. If you like thinking a little and getting some insightful ideas Ted.com is a worthwhile place to visit.

Comments, additions, amendments or ideas on this article? Contact Us
or why not leave a comment at the bottom of the page…

Related articles/links:
Start Photokonnexion email subscription now!
Photokonnexion Photographic Glossary – Definitions and articles.
Ted.com – Ideas worth spreading

By Damon Guy (author and Photokonnexion editor)

Damon Guy (Netkonnexion)

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Posted in How to..., Insights, Opinion, Photography, Review, Tips Tutorials & Techniques, Video included

Tagged Antartic, Approach, Images, Leopard seal, National Geographic Magazine, Penguin, Photo-stories, Photojournalism, Photojournalist, Photostory, Story telling

Art in photography has old roots

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Damon (Editor) | 2 comments

Is there art in photography? • The debate has raged for as long as there has been cameras.

• Is there art in photography? •
The debate has raged for almost as long as there has been cameras.
[Image from the video below].

Today photography appears more realistic

Perhaps that is more true than at any time in the history of photography. Modern cameras give a very powerful reflection of the scene. Yet, today the artistic element in photography is as alive as the art in say, the history of painting. What is not so clear is just what we mean by “art in photography”.

Much of the modern wave of photography is about snapping the ‘picture’; just capturing what you see and moving on. However, the committed, artistic photographer, sees more in the frame than just the picture. The images we capture show form, shape, expression, balance – lots of intangible things that are not necessarily about just getting the picture and moving on. They saw the art in photography.

The art in photography debate

Early in the history of photography this very same debate raged. Some saw photography as being “realistic” and therefore not containing artistic elements. Anxious to establish photography as an art form in its own right the Pictorialists worked with the raw elements of the medium. That is particularly with lenses and negatives. They manipulated them to make the picture resemble the hand-made craftiness of paintings and drawings. They tried taking away the “realistic” look of the final picture. They were almost converting it to some sort of hand-drawn picture or a painting. They were turning the picture into an art form. They deliberately tried to create art in photography.

Perhaps this manipulation did make an art form out of some pictures. However, the basic point was missed by the Pictorialists. The underlying picture still needed an artful arrangement to carry off the translation into a ‘crafty’ final image. What the photog saw needed to be artfully seen in the frame.

Abstracts and the art in photography

This short video shows the arrival of an alternative school of photographers. The school of “Straight Photography” acknowledged the power of the camera to represent the world with a realism other art forms did not have. At the same time, Straight Photography revealed that through capturing reality you can see through the artists eyes. They went to great pains to retain the element of reality, clarity and sharpness in the pictures. Much of their work would today be recognised as abstract.

The Pictorialist emphasis was on shape, form and expression rather than the every-day and mundane view of the world we see with almost every blink of the eye. They went to great lengths to see things the ordinary picture did not show. They emphasised beauty in simplicity. The shape and form in the abstract was an important focus. It was about a new way of seeing detail by careful framing of every day objects. They created images that showed the ordinary reality by an extraordinary interpretation. True art in photography.

Pictorialist and Straight Photography

Debbi Richard

Related articles/links:
Start Photokonnexion email subscription now!
Photokonnexion Photographic Glossary – Definitions and articles.
Abstract resources – much more about abstract photography
Composition
Definition: Abstract Photography
Abstract Photography
Seven examples of abstract photography

Damon Guy (Netkonnexion)

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2 Comments

Posted in Composition, History, Information posting, Insights, Photography, Tips Tutorials & Techniques

Tagged Abstract, Art, History, Images, Pictorial photography, Pictures, Straight photography

What Pinterest can offer photographers

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Damon (Editor) | Comments Off

The Photokonnexion Pinterest Account

Viewing great images helps you make them…

Learning to read we are encouraged to read widely and develop our vocabulary. Reading classics and exploring interests helps inspire and teach us the foundations. It’s the same with photography. Great images, classic photographs – these help provide clues to the foundations of successful image-making. It helps us learn what works, what stimulates, what creates an image in the viewers mind. When learning photography our insight is improved with wide access to all the things that make images great and to the images themselves.

Developing photographic insight

In a previous post, “50 ways to improve your photography – every day”, I encouraged readers to constantly review other peoples photographs. Exposing yourself to images of all sorts help you to understand pictures better. Exposing yourself to great images helps you to improve by providing standards to aspire to in your photography.

Keen photographers may already look at lots of images a day. Unfortunately, newspapers, magazines and many websites use poor quality images or ones selected for purposes other than their aesthetic quality. In this situation it helps to have a place where you can create a haven, a place of quality images you respect, admire, aspire to, even adore. It should be a place you create where you can return regularly to cultivate your own taste in imagery with the images from your own portfolio, the best from websites you use and shared images from others with similar interests. For me that place is the website “Pinterest”.

How does Pinterest work?

Pinterest has established itself as…

…a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse boards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.
http://pinterest.com/about/help/

When you open a “Pinterest” account you are helped through the process of choosing some images from the general pool of images. This gives you a learning opportunity and the chance to set up a range of “boards”. These are individual containers of images in a category you choose. You set up a “board” for each category of image you are interested in. You can change all this later too. I have one board with photography tips from this site. I also have these boards:

Great images;
Black and White
Works of the Greats
Trees and forests
Extraordinary Landscapes

and more. The top boards on Photokonnexion Pinterest home page is shown above. Other boards line up underneath.

You can post an image to any of your boards any time in three ways. You can:

Add a pin – enter a web address and select the image you want to pin.
Upload a pin – select images from your computer to pin.
Re-pin – select a pin from another persons board to pin.

You can also follow someone’s entire account, or you can follow a specific board from their account. You can comment on any image too. Accounts and boards you follow are accessible from your account so you can search your ‘follows’ for more images you like later. You can also search the boards of people who follow you by clicking their icons.

Each of the images are presented on one of your “boards” is in a small size. You can click through to the image in it’s largest size. If the image is presented on a web page clicking through again takes you to the page. This means you can use images a ways to get Pinterest users and your followers to visit your website too.

What Pinterest offers you

A Pinterest account provides a categorised storehouse for images you admire. These can be your images, or ones from other places or other Pinterest accounts. In short you can pick from the cream of online images and keep the image to go back to time and again. There are literally billions of images online. You will never run out of options to like, share and refer to at any time.

What Pinterest offers you, as a photographer, is a library of images that reflect your taste and interests. It is a great way to keep tabs on images you aspire to producing yourself. Your account can act as inspiration, a standard for you to work to, way to extend your photography interests; somewhere to store ideas for your future projects. It could also be a showcase of your own images for others to view and comment upon. Pinterest is a great way to make sure you see great images every day and share your interests with other people too.

What could possibly go wrong?

Every social networking site has down sides. The general interface is a bit ugly – it looks very busy on most pages. The saving grace is that the images you want to view in larger size are presented as single images so you can see them without all the other images around them.

There is an opportunity for copyright abuse since any images you post can be reposted many times. Your image will go to places you cannot control. So think carefully about images you post – as you should with any social networking site.

The comments system seems underused by the users – comments tend to be limited to explanations about images. The social networking side of the site is therefore a bit limited although as you get a following your communication with regular re-pinning-followers could develop as it would on other types of sites.

Photokonnexion on Pinterest

The idea of keeping all the images you admire in one place provides a great resource for improving your image viewing. However, if you don’t choose wisely the images you pick for your boards will not improve your vision. Of course you should choose images you like. However, when you view an image in its large size you can see how many times it has been repined. Images that are re-pinned many times provide a guide to the popularity of that image. So there is “popular guidance” of sorts. It is not expert opinion on the composition and aesthetic quality of an image of course. The best guide to what makes a good image is best learned by informed discussion with experienced photographers or other artists. Pinterest provides a place for such discussions to start, so you can make the most of the opportunities on the site with your friends.

I invite you to visit the Photokonnexion Pinterest Account. You are welcome to see how we use the account and the sort of images we like and link. If you join up be sure to surf on over and follow us. You can get our daily photography links as well as some idea of what we consider great images. Look forward to seeing you there.

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Posted in Composition, Insights, Opinion, Review, Things to try

Tagged Aesthetic, Aesthetics, Images, Improvement, Interest, Pinterest, Quality, Repository, Storages

Things in photography that are not true – photography lies

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Damon (Editor) | 3 comments

Photography lies – photos may not show ‘truth’

Sometimes photos pretend to be something that in reality they are not. There may be no lies involved, but the subject can be misrepresented. In fact, there are many ways that photos are set up to vary from reality.

Photos – proof in evidence, or photography lies?

‘Photographic evidence’ is not automatic proof. Photography lies come in many forms. Some photos can mislead without an edit. Pictures can convince viewers in lots of ways. For example, we all know we can take photos to make a short person look tall. And… well, just look at a few of these: Photographic illusions on Google images . Mistakes, edits and theft can all be used to spoil or lose photo-evidence. The art of illusion can also turn one thing into another in a photograph. Even digital forensics cannot detect a good illusion. Photography may be useful evidence, but it is not 100% reliable. in addition, interpretation of an image leaves us with open questions about what we see. Often we can see photography lies but our eyes deceive us. We simply do not notice them.

Photo fraud

We cannot pretend photo-fraud is a myth. Journalists are sometimes dismissed for simple photo edits. These dismissals have even been after slight changes. Remember, to remove or add something, a person or an object can really change the impact of an image. Actually, there are many examples of photography lies in journalism. This is because there are situations when manipulation costs the trust of the viewer. As a rule journalists are honest. However, even top level journalists create photography lies and others make mistakes.

Fine line between lies and truths

In my view fashion magazines have often crossed that line using photography lies. This is often obvious with the body edits of celebs. photogs often remove the odd spot, wrinkle or blemish for aesthetic reasons. We may have taken a step further. However, most of us are not selling something. The extent to which misleading edits appear in the fashion and lifestyle industry is shocking. Look at these… Photoshop disasters on Google Images . The Internet is replete with Photoshop disasters. These are just the ones that obviously mislead. How many photography lies that go un-spotted will probably never be known.

Obviously past the limit…

Some of the photos in magazines, adverts and on TV are criminal. In the UK the public is slowly becoming aware of this. Questions often surface about the ethics of advert manipulation. More important, the effects on vulnerable people need revealing. Should we make celebs thinner in photos? Should young, impressionable people see these things? Would there be less anorexia in the teen age group if such editing did not happen? These are not just ethical issues. They are questions about our society and culture too.

Actually, the camera does lie – routinely

Many starters in photography do not realise how much a camera distorts reality. This is not manipulation – it is physics. The lens which most closely matches the human eye is the 50mm prime. However, it is still likely to make an image that varies from reality. We see barrel distortions, chromatic aberrations, and random softness or distortion at the edge of the shot.

Other lenses, most notably the fish-eye lens, are noted for distortion. Such lenses are sort-after. Remember, all lenses have their special character. So do all digital image sensors. The contrast in a scene is reduced compared to the human eye too. In general, cameras don’t see exactly as we do. All sorts of aspects of an image differ from reality.

• Lancaster Bomber fish-eye shot •

The fish-eye lens is noted for its ability to distort a scene.

Click image to view large.
• Lancaster Bomber fish-eye shot • By Netkonnexion on Flickr

Cheating? Me?

I am a member of two camera clubs. I have seen many new members leaving when they realise people have ‘cheated’ in post production. Sky’s blued, contrasts deepened; and horrors, things cloned out. Or worse, things pasted in. Unspeakable!!!

Getting on a high horse about photography lies like these are really the tantrums of a diva. People are often adamant that they did no processing and they never would. Yet, they used *.jpg images. These are notorious for the messing around done by the on-board processors in-camera. These edits are done routinely on auto-settings. This is because most entry-level photogs and snappers do not normally do their own digital developing.

Most images have been edited… in some way

There are many file changes made before you see the image. Most *.jpg files have had auto processing. Sky is blue-enhanced. Images are brightened by about 50 points. *.jpg’s artificially enhance contrast and remove distortions of various kinds. Digital noise is pretty routinely removed too. Certain colour enhancements and changes are also not unusual. There is no standard for these. The makers work out what they think will look best. When they get credible results, they produce a new sensor/camera combination. If that is what you want to go with – great. But, don’t try and kid anyone you have an unprocessed picture. Straight out of camera (SOOC) it may be, unprocessed it is not. Are these things photography lies?

As they are not intended to mislead – in-camera changes are not photography lies. The photog and camera maker both try to get close to what the eye can see. However, these ‘corrections’ are really an attempt to see the camera make a more real picture. If you use a RAW format image file in your capture then you will have to make similar changes. Next you will produce your *.jpg file. The benefit of RAW is you can gain more control over the outcome. You can do what the manufacturer cannot. You can make the image how you saw it in your minds eye.

What is the nature of a photo?

In the early 1980’s I knew a man who worked in a big London advertising agency. As an editing trainee in photography he saw many interesting processes. One, widely used today in Photoshop, was under development for a big UK airline. Money in the hundreds of thousands of pounds was spent to develop a process to soft-edge for aeroplanes. This allowed the image to be placed in almost any sky. They were using chemical films then. The process would allow them to easily place aircraft into images to create travel articles.

Is this misleading? We all know aircraft fly. What does it matter the sort of sky we see them in? Well, the right sort of aircraft and sky can convince people they are going to exotic or sunny places. It’s a sales point. This lifestyle message comes over in much of our literature. It could be seen as manipulating how a place is viewed. Messages like this impact on buying decisions.

Editing – does it change the nature of the photograph?

photog routinely and robustly defend their right to edit images. This sometimes results in an image that is nothing like the original capture. Editing, even ‘processing’ is in itself an artistic pursuit. Actually, this leads us to consider the very nature of a photographic image. Clearly it is not true Record of reality. Neither is a photograph a definitive reflection of reality. Every photograph is a personal interpretation of a scene. Every one is to some extent changed by the camera equipment, the processing, and the settings. Even the way the camera was held or mounted has an impact.

Edits are not generally there to mislead…

In general terms edits are not about creation of photography lies. There are elements of the capture and camera mechanism that affects the result. There are inputs that are interpretation and some that are pure art.

Photography is an art and a science. We should recognise that every image, to a lesser or greater extent, changes the scene depicted. What we appreciate about an image should not be about the process. It should be about the result. Is it a great image? Does it convey the right message or impression?

Only historians of photography will be interested in the photo-production processes in the future. Everyone else will consider the image for its merit.

So, are there really photography lies?

Yes, pure and simple.

There are photo-white lies – images deliberately constructed to convey particular meaning or a message. They may be real lies. However, they may not be setting out to mislead in a malicious way. They are about artistic interpretation and technique. Possibly, they will also be about the state of camera and lens technology.

Hard deceptions are where a photograph conveys a deliberate falsehood. Some of the ‘Black-hat lies’ are easy to spot. Some deliberate manipulations are done with intent to mislead. These misleading images intend to fool people about their lifestyle choices are definite lies. They exist and they are damaging and sometimes criminal. Many body edits in fashion magazines fall into this category, for example.

Judging is not the issue

I am not judging anyone here. There are cases where the public have been misled. There are borderline issues and blatant criminality. On the other hand we should concede an important point. Artists through the ages have sought to use contemporary tools to express themselves. The use of post-processing and editing apps is no different. It’s a reality we are not going to change. I think we should live with it and enjoy it.

What we must not do is get purist about ‘straight-out-of-camera’ photos. They are an approximation of the reality of the scene on the day. SOOC images are not something virginal and untouched. Be proud, move on.

Equally, we must not attempt to mislead people. We must hold up our hands and be realistic. Changes, processing, edits and deliberate distortions are there. They always have been. We just need to acknowledge that fact, rejoice in it and be honest.

Related articles/links:
Photographic illusions on Google images

Photoshop disasters on Google Images
10 worst Photoshop disasters
Niaangel.blogspot Photoshop Disasters

By Damon Guy (author and Photokonnexion editor)

Damon Guy (Netkonnexion)

#1854#

3 Comments

Posted in Camera control, Insights, Opinion, Post Processing, Starters School, Things to try

Tagged Ethics, Files, Image manipulation, Images, Photographic ethics, Photography and ethics, Photography lies, Straight out of camera

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