Sleight Of Hand Or Artistic Enhancement

This is the same image from my last post.  In my last post, I alluded to 'cheating nature.'
In this post, I explain.  (click to enlarge)

In my last post, in the spirit of full disclosure, I alluded to 'cheating nature' in my image as a bit of a cryptic reference.  I then stated I would say more about that in my next post.  I will explain that comment here.  You can find that other post here.  

The photograph I included in that previous post was one of those 'found' subjects that I spotted as I drove down a country road.  I liked the combination of the cotton field in the foreground, the old faded red outbuildings in the middle ground and the tree line in the background.  I thought it all came together nicely.  I photographed several versions of the scene and, after returning home and viewing the various compositions in Lightroom, decided as to which version I liked best.

As I edited the file, I kept thinking that something was missing.  The image just didn’t adequately reflect what I envisioned while making it.  It finally hit me that the line of green trees in the background was too bland and needed a bit of 'enhancing.'  The image I posted was the 'enhanced' version.  The image below is the scene without the line of trees enhanced.  Which do you prefer?

This is the same image file but without the line of trees in the background 'enhanced' with a bit of
color. (click to enlarge)

The question is, "Did I engage in a bit of 'sleight of hand' or did I 'artistically' enhance my photo to reflect what I envisioned?"  I like to think the latter.  Considering the image was made in early November and most of the U.S. has already or is now enjoying fall foliage, here in southeastern Virginia, our peak fall foliage time is usually the second and sometimes the third week of November.  But fall foliage was not what was present.  However, Autumn was certainly in the air that day.  You know the kind of fall day to which I am referring—when the air is crystal clear of oppressive humidity (which is a welcomed relief!), the sky is a deep blue  and the crisp, cool air, is helped along with a gentle northerly breeze that just screamed "Autumn" to me.  But the green trees didn't go along with the feeling I had while making the image.  So, I artistically enhanced the line of trees to bring the composition more in line with my visualization and what I felt when I created it.

Is this cheating?  In a way yes and in a way no.  If I were a photojournalist, a documentary photographer, a scientific photographer (including recording wildlife and birds accurately for the record) or practiced another form of photography that required accuracy then I would say that artistically enhancing a photo is unacceptable. 

However, if you are photographing for pleasure, creating art, making an image based upon your vision as to what you want it to be rather than strictly what it is, then no.  That said, I usually try to disclose when I edit an image that alters it in a major way.  That is especially true if the image is presented as something someone would assume is as I found it.

Now, take into account that even if you make no changes to your image file, it still won’t represent reality as what the camera produces is a product of either the camera manufacturer’s engineers coding of the camera’s firmware or your editing software’s engineers coding of that software.  Both are trying to interpret reality.  At best, even if showing images straight out of the camera, what you will get is someone’s approximation of reality.

What did I do to enhance the line of trees?  In Lightroom Classic, I opened the brush tool and, using a small brush with some feathering, I carefully selected the line of trees.  I then started playing with the Hue slider to find a setting that altered the green of the leaves to bring out some yellows, oranges and reds.  That was it.  I wanted to be careful that I didn't enhance the leaves too much and make them look out of place or artificial.  Sometimes less is more.  I think I succeeded in this example.

We all get to choose how we present what we find when out photographing.  We all get to choose as to whether or not we present our images as mere records of where we have been and what we have seen or present them as an artistic rendering of how we felt while photographing any particular subject.  It's about choices and honesty.  Mostly, I find a greater satisfaction in presenting my images with a bit of artistic license. YMMV.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

All content on this blog is © 2013-2021 Dennis A. Mook. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution. Permission may be granted for commercial use. Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.