Post Processing Debate

Thoughts on the editing (post-processing) debate

We have all seen those social media photos wearing the disclaimer 'no filter' like a badge of honor.  With the understanding the 'filter' is not the same as 'editing' or 'post processing', the meaning from non-photographers is usually the same.  That somehow if you edited an image, it's no longer natural.  Well, I look pretty natural when I crawl out of bed in the morning, but that's not the way I wish to present myself to the world, you know?

One point many may not realize is the human eye and brain create a richer, more nuanced, and dynamic perception of color compared to a camera, largely because we interpret light rather than just recording it. While cameras use rigid sensor pixels to record red, green, and blue, the human brain compensates for lighting, context, and experience to "add" or alter perceived color, such as keeping white objects looking white under red light, or blue to a sky that the camera may record as gray.

Also, people's preferences when looking at a photo whether online or in a gallery, run the gambit!  No one photographer will make everyone happy.  Some like more muted tones, some like whispy fairy-like images, others prefer deep contrast and bold colors.  I myself like many different styles and it depends on the photo and my mood!  

A lot goes into turning a photo from shoebox* to gallery-ready.  This quote sums it up perfectly:

"When the merit or value of a photograph is tossed out based on the answer to a simple question like “Did you edit it?,” it shows a lack of understanding of the craft. Many outside photography see editing only as an unwelcome digital manipulation, and in doing so, they miss the countless choices that shape a final image. Helping non-photographers see editing as part of the entire photographic process, rather than in a simplistic way, can raise appreciation for the art form and for the photographer’s role within it. A photograph isn’t the product of random luck or a machine pressing a button; it’s the outcome of a chain of decisions that begins the moment we step out the door with a camera."

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*Shoebox photos ~ all those old photos we took with film back in the day that have our thumb in the way, too dark or too light, crooked horizons...but don't want to throw away.  Also can refer to digital photos that many leave sitting on their phones but never do anything with.  ;)

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