Should You Keep Your Shots Natural?
With the never-ending deluge of filters on apps, like Instagram, and programs which get rid of imperfections in photographs, such as Photoshop, many photographs uploaded to Flickr and other image sharing sites can look artificial.
Many DSLR cameras now have an array of built-in filters at your fingertips that can be applied as soon as your finger leaves the shutter button. The problem with overusing filters is that many photos end up looking like clones, and although it can be tempting to use lighting effects and filters, it can strip out all originality from a photo, which ultimately ends up stifling the creativity of the photographer.
Too Much Photoshopping?
Unless you’re shooting for Q Magazine, it’s hard to imagine why the average photographer would even bother going to such lengths to manipulate their photographs.
Excessive use of Photoshop tools, such as the liquify tool, the clone stamp or the airbrush, can iron out imperfections; you can even remove unwanted noise, make someone lose a few pounds, and can get rid of unwanted artefacts on the photo itself.
In a way, this is an attempt to create a virtual reality, and it could be argued that excessive use of Photoshop is dumbing down the art of photography in that it is making photographers lazy. Instead of taking the perfect photo there and then, the fact that it can be fixed in post production is now almost a reflex reaction for many professionals.
The use of props in photography has become an increasingly popular trend during the past few years. That’s not to say that props haven’t been used throughout many decades, however recently the world of photography has seen an increase in the use of props that could be classed as gimmicky.
This could be to do with the proliferation of photographers competing in a competitive online market, in which if you come up with something quirky and trendy, your website or social media platform will get its fifteen minutes of fame with an influx of likes and hits.
As mentioned in a previous blog post, great photography has been produced with just the use of a blank canvas. A good photographer doesn’t even need a background to take inspiring and interesting photographs. Great photography shouldn’t need filters, effects or Photoshop; it should stand up as a great photo on its own merit.
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