Editorial Commentary by JenFruzz

This may very well be my first rant (on this website)... However, I believe this to be an important subject for the photography community at deviantART and one that I hope will spark the interest of photographers and admirers, alike.

EDITING:

I cannot tell you how many times I have offered editing advice on a photograph and received a reply like:

"Thank you for the tips but I do not edit my photographs;" and "I like my photographs to appear exactly as they come out of the camera."

Now, as a photographer on deviantART for ten years--who most definitely edits--this viewpoint completely baffled me (Admittedly, it still does... After receiving all of the community feedback, it's possible I am more confused than before). My inner scientist begged the question "WHY!?" Why do some photographers view editing as an artistic sin? Why do some photographers choose to only post what the camera gives them?

So, like any good scientist, I started a poll and a forum thread. I asked deviants in the photography community and beyond what they think of editing photographs. I made sure to note that I am not talking about photograph manipulation (which is where you add details that did not previously exist to a photograph).

Here is what I discovered...

To Edit or Not to Edit... That Was the Question

I asked deviants what their view on editing photographs was. I opened up both a Poll and a Forum Thread to begin the discussion. The poll has the following answer:

- Yes, I edit my photographs;
- I am not a photographer, but I see nothing wrong with editing photographs;
- No, I do not edit my photographs because...[asked to leave a comment];
- No, I do not edit my photographs because I do not think people should edit photographs;
- No, I do not edit my photographs because I don't know how;
- No, I do not edit my photographs because I do not have editing software;
- I am not a photographer and I do not like when people edit photographs; or
- Other [asked to leave a comment].

And the Forum Thread simply asked deviants to tell me whether or not they edit photographs and why.

Not to Edit

I figured it would be good to start with the answers I received from those who do not feel the need nor desire to edit their photographs. Why? Because it is this opinion that fueled my desire to open up and explore this discussion topic.

For those who told me they do not edit their photographs, the common responses were:

- A sense of accomplishment over shooting a photograph they do not feel needs editing;
- No interest in editing;
- A view that editing can go over the top;
- A desire to keep a photograph in its original form;
- I only edit because my camera shoots in RAW and it's part of the process, but I do nothing beyond basic levels adjustment;
- If a photograph does not turn out how you envisioned from the camera, it was not meant to be; and
- If I edit my photographs, I am not a photographer. I am a digital artist (the "cheating" viewpoint).

Another deviant even included a quote:

"Those who are against editing are probably old people who were shooting film and cannot let go or accept that photography has moved on" - Anonymous

While this quote appears to be in favor of editing, it provides an opinion on how "old" film photographers may view editions as that artistic sin I mentioned earlier. (This isn't quite true since film photographs made edits in regard to film and developing options). An important item to note is that most of these photographers who choose not to edit do not scorn the ones who do. They are okay with seeing edited photographs, they just prefer not to partake.

Then There Are Those Who Edit...

The staunch advocates of photograph editing came out in droves on both the forum thread and the poll. The agreement was yes, we edit! But their view on why they edit varied. Some choose to edit because they feel it is the best way to express themselves and their style artistically and others edit because they see flaws they want to fix. Here are some of their responses:

"If all these other professions edit their works, why would a photographer not?" - Theriom-Rasputin pertaining to the editing practices of musical artists, writers, and film directors.

"[Editing] is unavoidable if you are using film, and is also extremely important in the digital world. Very few professional photographers who are not working for news agencies would even consider releasing an unedited photo and virtually no fine art photographers who are even halfway decent at it would do so." - FallisPhoto. His entire response is located Here and provides great insight on how digital cameras are designed to capture the most detail possible, thereby requiring some form of editing to achieve the desired result.

"Should you strive to get the best capture possible? Absolutely. Should you limit yourself to only what the camera captures? Only if you're shooting for National Geographic or a news service like Reuters." - SteveCaissie-stock, who also makes a Point that it can potentially take hours to set up the perfect shot. Meanwhile your model/client will become irate and your camera battery will drain.

"I don't really mind people who do a lot of editing either. In most cases editing only showcases the full potential of a photo, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I am more likely to be drawn to a photo that looks more natural rather than one i can tell has been heavily edited to no longer resemble the original though." - VexFox

Putting It All Together

The general consensus seems to be that editing is both desired and--in some cases--a necessity. The majority agrees that you need a good base photograph if you want to produce a presentable final result. Very few to no deviants felt that editing was a way to fix a "bad" photograph. The artist needs to put in the effort to take a picture effectively before opening up the editing program for enhancements.

However, it is also the opinion of many that artists should not limit themselves to what their camera produces. As stated by many of the poll and forum participants, editing is not something to be frightened of, nor shy away from. It is a chance to put one's artistic stamp on their creation. A way to make your photograph stand out among others in the often-flooded gallery of new photograph deviations (we all know how quick the turnover is on that page!).

Of course you should be proud and capable of producing a technically-correct photograph (i.e., good focus, contrast, clarity, etc.). But to really take your work to the next level, artists should endeavor to utilize the tools and technology available to them. After all, the editing process begins the moment you change a setting on your camera. Why not continue the process and see what your creative mind has stored away?

The next time someone offers an editing suggestion, don't turn it down because you "don't believe in editing." Take a chance, be brave, and play with editing! See what you can produce from only a couple clicks of the mouse to hours of changing minute details.



Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to the poll and/or forum post. Your input made this entry possible!

Jen Fruzz