Photo Manipulation and Deception

Photo manipulation is a commonly discussed point of contention in the photography world, to be honest, it is a tired one. The act of taking one or multiple photographic stills and creating something completely different is often argued as something that defeats the object of composing an image altogether. Whilst those who do it, see it as a way of experimenting and expressing themselves, via a medium which opens up a world of art, free from the constraints of what can be seen in the real world. I intended to stay clear of pandemics and isolation for this blog, but I feel as creatives who are momentarily confined to their homes, the ability to infinitely recycle old and archived images is a magical way to explore the world outside our front doors. Let’s try to forget about the honesty of the image and use this time to explore what the eye can’t see, whilst utilising our stock photographs.

To the many that oppose the manipulation of digital photographs the resulting image is seen as untrue. There is deceit in an image that does not bear resemblance to the one that was created through the act of simply clicking the shutter. Perhaps when we judge a manipulated image we should examine the intent of the person who altered it, because truthfulness and deceit are in fact characteristics of human nature not digital media.

(Comfort Zone, Erik Johansson, 2019)

Surrealist Photographer Erik Johansson is a perfect example. His self-proclaimed title even suggests that his images are not real, he is not attempting to fool anyone in a malicious way. He is merely using his eye for a beautiful image and combining it with a high level of technical proficiency in both photography and digital manipulation. At no point does he ever claim his images to be real or straight from the camera, but that does not mean photography is not fundamental to his practise. I would suggest that to create a stunning digital composite the photographer has to equally understand the technicalities involved in taking a photograph, if not more so than someone who simply takes a pretty picture. As to make a false image look worthy of believing, all of the components have to be shot in such a way that they seamlessly fit together when combined in post-production.

(Sam Wallis, 2020) By improving your ability to capture an image and utilise it in the way you have envisioned, you will find yourself creating new and unexplored worlds from the comfort of your homes. Just make it clear that you’ve created a digital composite and no one can deny your status as a photographer. This blog was written for Resolved Photographic by Sam Wallis

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