So where does photography begin and end?

This image of the Humewood Slipway is a far cry from the way the human eye sees the scene. Is it still photography? Did I go too far?

Over several years I have been around many photographers from all walks of life. I am also involved with photography clubs and try to enter some images when I can.

Some are professional photographers who shot film for decades. Others are new to photography and had never touched film other than on family holidays. Many started out in the digital era and have never touched film.

The one thing they all battle to come to terms with is Photoshop. Love it or hate it but digital is here to stay and so is Photoshop and other post-processing software.

The thing is, most of the Photoshop tricks, and many more, were also done in the film darkroom. For those interested, go do a Google search for "Sabattier effect". Go and do that in Photoshop, I challenge you to try. So am I saying you can't believe a film image? Mostly yes!

Film darkroom tricks were plenty. They were often messy and time consuming but that was part of the fun. Lighting and especially LED constant lighting has come a long way though. Constant lighting back in the day was NOT fun. That magazine advert which, you thought, showed a cold beer in a tall frosty glass was definitely not it. The frost on the glass was probably some aerosol based spray. Ice cubes were probably plastic. Why is this, you ask? Quite simple really. The lights used were very very very hot and no pleasure to be around for long.

Back to digital...Some take a hard line on any form of post-processing. They claim that "true" or "proper" photography means using an image as is. This might be true in a legal or law enforcement scenario but hardly elsewhere.

In fact, and this is nothing but my opinion, no digital image should ever be used unprocessed. There are so many reasons for this that I could ramble on for hours. I won't. Let's agree that no piece of equipment can replicate the human eyes and mind.

This now opens a few relevant questions. How far do you go? When is it photography and when does a photographic image become digital art?

If you enter your work in photographic clubs and salons you would do well to read through volumes of rules. The categories are vast and different rules apply for nearly every one. If club and salon entries are your thing this is one of those things you will have to make peace with. That and the subjectivity of judges. Also, a fashion photographer might be judging your landscape or wildlife image.

If you shoot and produce large prints for a corporate client, very different rules will apply. The client's taste and preferences dictate above all.

If you shoot for personal enjoyment, only your own preferences matter.

This does not mean that the one is right and the other is wrong. There is a place and time for all.

I believe that Bob Dylan had the best answer when he sang about the answer blowing in the wind. It comes down to personal taste and the intended use of the image.

Photography is, after all, a tool. It is a tool with which the individual expresses their creative vision.

If you need to observe some rules, by all means do so. If you don't like the rules, don't take part.

It really is that simple.

Happy shooting!