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I recently shared a photo I'm proud of on Instagram. Reactions ranged from very positive to those denying my work the title of “a photograph,” calling it “computer graphics,” or “photo-graphics.” This got me thinking. Do people really understand the concept of photography art and why are they so adamantly against photo manipulation?

I became passionate about creative photography after the birth of my twin daughters Annabella and Juliette; my little kids inspire me every day in my work. Through photography, I strive to enter the world of my two children, to grasp all the childhood whimsies, and to recreate these magical moments that we all look back on and smile. This means using whatever photographic tools will get me closest to that vision. Photo editing is just one of those tools.

Photography was invented over 180 years ago, but it's only with the relatively recent invention of digital editing software that creative photo manipulation has become the subject of popular controversy. Really though, this just shows our lack of awareness of the history of photography: image manipulation didn't start with Photoshop. In fact, it's always been an essential part of what photographers do.

As I dug a little deeper, I came to realize that art and news photographers have been manipulating their photographs since the very first days of photography. So the argument that a particular image is less of a photograph because it has been retouched didn't seem at all convincing to me. If we started ruling out retouched and photoshopped images from the category of photographs, we would be left with not a single photograph in the world.

Since the invention of photography, image manipulation has been a key part of it. The 19th-century photographers liked to call it “removing imperfections” from the shot, and they did it by painting directly onto the glass-plate negatives. Sometimes, an entire person would be “painted out”. Moreover, they would combine multiple frames in the darkroom to add dramatic elements to their stunning pictures.

Similarly, most new photographs, made over the course of the last century, will have been cropped, dodged, burned, and even painted to some degree. The photographer does this in order to better illustrate the story in the paper. Even the snaps in the family photo album vary, depending on the film, the chemicals, and the color settings used. Most photos are certainly not simply neutral, un-manipulated snatches of the real world. They are rather a real-world story told in a beautiful way.

Sure, I can see why heavy use of Photoshop might be worrying in the area of photojournalism, but I do not consider myself a documentary photographer. Far from it. In fact, I think my work is a little like making a still movie. Image manipulation has always been a part of filmmaking too, but nobody ever suggested that a movie using a blue - screen or CGI is not a movie (cinematography?). There is art in applying these techniques as well. Thus, I will use whatever photographic tools will get me closest to my photo ideas.

The word photography literally means writing or drawing with light. The process of making an entirely computer-generated image - such as a digital illustration or animation - couldn't really be described as "writing with light." This contrasts sharply with my way of working: in simple terms, I make images using a box with a hole that lets light in - so they can definitely be considered "photo-graphs". The fact that I edit these images afterward using software doesn't change this. In any case, it's not fundamentally different from what people were doing in the darkroom over a century ago.

Now that I have tried to raise awareness about the history of and about photography in general, I would like to hear your opinion. How would you define photography? Please share your thoughts on when a photograph stops being a photograph. How much manipulation is too much manipulation?

More info: Instagram

#1

Happiness Is...

Happiness Is...

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Bobbi Newell
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one, for me, has the most dramatic change in mood. It goes from enjoying small moments despite adversity, to the sweet, pure innocence of childhood.

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#6

Spring Is Here

Spring Is Here

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Mimis Nachbarin
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You did not just "remove imperfections from the shot"... This is a whole lot more of changing. It still is very beautiful work.

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#7

Can You Keep A Secret?

Can You Keep A Secret?

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Kim Lorton
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lilia, these are all beautiful photographs! The different tonal qualities you show make each one so different! They are amazing! Most people don’t understand the definition of the word photograph or photographer. A picture does not a photographer make! But you, are a true photographer! Thank you, for these amazing sweet pictures!

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#8

Boy And A Girl

Boy And A Girl

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Neb
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While the crop of second photo is better, I like the green of trees in the first one more.

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#9

What Does The Tide Bring

What Does The Tide Bring

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Wil Vanderheijden
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like picture #5. The orange background takes away all innocence of a child playing at a beach and instead gives the picture a doomsday feeling.

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Chicago Kitty
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again - the original photo is fresh and innocent and lovely. The altered photo takes a strange post-apocalyptic turn. Ray Bradbury's "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" colony on Mars story pops into my head on this one.

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Tove Hansen
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The original looks much more fresh and clean. Better! I must agree with the people saying you overdo it with the photoshopping in most of your photos

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MBZ MetalsmithArtist
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I truly prefer the unaltered one here. The added colors really weigh this lovely image down

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Liz Sahlin Johansson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am sorry but in my opinion the altered pic looks like a watercolor drawing, not something made with a camera.

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Kerri Russ
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At first, I loved what I was seeing. I agree it IS photography. Photography has changed over the decades and some processing is part of that process now. However, more and more I see OVER processing and over saturation. The original photo here is so sweet, precious, and pure. All of the white really makes the little girl shine. I Feel her curiosity. The altered photo, however, is just too much. It almost feels like there's a forest fire somewhere close. Try not using so much orange and yellow, keep it more natural looking and not as processed looking.

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Cuitlahuac Guerra
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Relax a little bit the warm effect ... you always tend to show the sky as too red. It's a little bit distracting

liliaalvaradophotography avatar
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey thanks for your thoughtful suggestion, but I love the final results and this is how I process my work :)

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Bárbara Gael
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Too much... And the original was better. Only with light problems.

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Dominique
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I absolutely adore the original. To me it shows the innocence of a child. Sure the second is quite beautiful, but I prefer the first one.

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Liz Sahlin Johansson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s YOUR pics but... The altred just make me sad when the original is so beautiful.

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Glynis Dover
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again I much prefer the unaltered one, the child’s innocence shines through but the second picture has far too heavy colours which take away from the little girl x

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Mirkwood Queen
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the first one as the cool tones would look nice in a wall

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Cloud
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yeah this one has too much photoshop 2/10 would not recommend plz stawp b4 I report

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Clara The Idiot
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like the photographer feels like they have to add red tones to it, genuinely the first ones tones a lot better because it started as a cooler toned picture. If the picture started with autumn tones then have at it but when the original is clearly laced with blue undertones, don't completely change that

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Tati
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first one is more natural, sure still need some touchups and some lighting enhancement but not too much, like maybe instead of making the sky yellow/red make it bluish and a bit intense...

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Diane Diggs
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love the sinister drama of the second photo. Although the child is happy in this moment, bad times are looming in her future.

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Heather Vance
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These comments crack me up. Everyone is talking depression and dooms day. To me I see a sunrise or a sunset. Why does everyone have to be ruled by the negative? Is the original beautiful? Of course, but so is this.

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#10

Sister's Kiss

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Chicago Kitty
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually much prefer the unaltered photo on this entry. There's authentic, cheerful fall crispness about it that quite draws me in. I think this is lost in all the red tones applied in the altered photo and the rain effect comes off as very false. For some reason it reminds me of those rather tacky Sears Family Photo pics circa 1970's & '80's where the subject was placed in a champagne glass or something with a loved one in profile looming them. Again, just my opinion and the original photo is lovely in its own right.

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#11

Dawning

Dawning

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HellCat
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually prefer the original photo here. It's much more ethereal and pleasant to my eye than the second one, which changes to an almost hellish, bizarre feel. I mean no offense, it's just my opinion. From all the shots, this one with the girl on the beach is the one that I think it's been worked a bit too much. Very beautiful photos, though.

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