“The negative is the score, and the print the performance.”
Photography isn’t just about capturing an event – it is a visual communication medium. The concept of photo editing has gained an increasingly negative reputation as digital editing software became powerful and ubiquitous in the last decade. It has now sparked fascination and controversy as we step into a new era of computational photography and AI manipulation. A novice can now do what used to take great skill and time to accomplish in minutes. These technologies can be a force of progress by opening new creative avenues to express ideas, but an overemphasis on them can cause the artistic message to be lost. In extreme scenarios, photography can become digital art, no longer bearing any similarity to the original image.
An Artistic Parallel
Drawing a parallel to the concept of rubato in music, where subtle deviations from strict tempo create a more expressive and emotional performance, photographers must exercise a careful balance in their editing decisions. Just as a musician must be mindful not to stretch the tempo too far, photographers should avoid excessive alterations that compromise the authenticity of their work. The key is to use manipulation as a means to enhance, not overshadow, the inherent beauty of the captured moment.
As with any art form, the key lies in the delicate balance between creative freedom and a respectful acknowledgment of the authenticity inherent in the captured moment.
An Example
Discussing nuanced topics in the abstract is often convenient, but a concrete example can often express the thought more clearly. The image on the left (or on top, for mobile readers) is a straight print of a local building. Aside from the lack of color, it’s a literal representation of the light projected through the lens. The second image is my finished print. The darkened sky draws the viewer’s eye toward the advertisement painted on the brick and adds overall contrast, creating a sense of drama in an otherwise mundane subject. A gentle lift of the shadows on the front of the building helps to reveal more painted brick. I did not lift the shadows on the lower side of the building to retain negative space, reinforcing the idea that the subject is not the entire building but the old advertisement. None of these adjustments fundamentally change the image – they merely serve to draw emphasis and guide the viewer’s eye to where I wanted it.