the home of brian haught, graphic designer, gamer, adobe creative suite lover and all around good guy.
A DSLR & Photoshop doesn't make you a photographer4-03-09
Let me start by saying I am not a professional photographer. I like to think that I have a good eye, knowledge of composition, light, and so on.
Copyright Henri-Cartier Bresson, Magnum Photos
I frequently visit smashingmagazine and flickr for some eye candy so to speak. I have noticed that more and more "photography" is more photoshop filters than catching a special moment in time. It is more about the megapixels and less about the story told in the photo. I am a fan of HDR and enhancing photos with curves, levels, channels and so on, but the number of poor photos and rip offs is getting out of hand.
Henri Cartier-Bresson said,
"To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis."
I feel his point is beautifully illustrated in the photograph to the right. He didn't take this photo with a Canon 50D and retouch it with Photoshop. He recognized his chance to take a great photo with a Leica 35 mm rangefinder and a 50 mm lens.
The point is...LOOK...FEEL...and don't rely on Photoshop. Use it to enhance your photos not salvage them.