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Adobe created one the best software in this technological era. Photoshop. It’s the best or one of the best graphic/photo/picture manipulation/creation/whatever that is related to graphics/photos/pictures computer application. However, I do feel the photoshop has cursed the photography community for eternity. Hence the title “Photochopped by Photoshop.”
Why is Photoshop a curse rather than a miracle for photographers?
First, although I am not pulling this out of my ass, there are bound to be people screaming “You don’t just pull [photoshop curse] out of your ass your noobie bastard.” or something like that. Believe me, if I am pulling this out of my ass, I won’t have wrote this in the first place, as who would want to read anything from someone’s ass?
Ok, lets get that out of the way and continue with what I am going to say.
Photography used to be a very credible (I am not saying it’s 100%, because sometimes photos can be misleading if the composition is taken out of context or taken from other pespective or is a setup, but overall it’s credible to say the least.). Sadly, when computers came in and photo manipulation software came in and then the final nail in the coffin in the form of Photoshop came in; Photography suddenly is branded “uncreadible” anymore. Any photo can be manipulated with the clicks mouse on a computer. Then there is a new breed of DIGITAL photographers that even have this belief that Photoshop IS ESSENTIAL in photography.
I am very disappointed with this belief. Do I really need to use photoshop after I take a photo everytime? Essential because it helps make my photos more beautiful? Or because the photo fell short of expectation and my ego/reputation is at stake.
I believe even with Photoshop available, photography should not be about :
1. Take photo
2. Upload photo to computer
3. Start Photoshop and manipulate photos (or for most of the people, it’s call POST PROCESSING)
Come to think about it, step 1,2 and 3 wasn’t there before the computer came out and also the graphic manipulation thing years later. Did you even wonder how did those great photographers take their photos in an era where there is NO Auto-Focus, NO Metering, NO Light Meter, NO insane glasses, NO Computers, NO Photoshop, NO nothing that we have now? At yet their photos are so good, that people are still trying to take those exact shots until today?
You can laugh at me all you want, but photography isn’t about who can photochopped the best photos, but it’s about telling people a story in the photos WITHOUT any PHOTOSHOPING. Even the notion that photoshop should be use as a last resort is still not a wise notion, because you will be continously thinking “If I screw up this shot, there is alway photoshop.” mentality.
Naive as I am, I still believe that photography isn’t all about who has the great skill to photoshop photos after taking the photos. It’s NOT really essential to use photoshop in photography. And hell no, photoshop is not a miracle. It’s a curse and a damn bad curse for photography as a whole.
Photos can tell a story, but when it is photochopped/photoshop, then the story is a lie, no matter how much you try to justify it.
Don’t like what I just said? You are welcome to send me your hate mails, dead chicken, dead rat, anthrax, home made bombs or whatever.
