I have been asked to help a friend start and run a portrait studio. First and foremost of course is attracting clients, but we also need to figure out the final product. Do we just provide basic family pictures, or do we spend more time on making them unique? If you mouse over the image above, you can see the original capture{{1}} I think the black and white looks better, but with the proliferation of “filters” and “effects” from the likes of Instagram, do manipulated images become too cliché? The lines between straight capture (yeah, I know this doesn’t exist), retouched image, and tacky, over-processed garbage are getting harder and harder to define.
Any tool can be used to create “ART” but that same tool can also be overused, and may not actually add to an image. I love the freedom digital has given photography. I think it is easier to experiment with new techniques, but as spiderman’s dad said, “With great power comes great responsibility” Know what you are trying to say, and use your tools appropriately to emphasize that message.
[[1]]An interesting and common optical illusion when you mouse over rapidly, some of the black and white colours take on the complementary tone. Gives the retouched version a bit of a strange look for a second or two, until your eyes readjust…[[1]]
