PAUL STENQUIST wrote:
>
> I enjoy using technical tools to make a more perfect version of those
> things I see.
>
and Shel objected to the premise of the sentence.
Unfortunately, I was unable to reply when I had Shel's message in hand,
but his main contention seemed to be that a photograph cannot possibly
improve upon reality, it can only hope to capture it. First, let me say
that I expressed my thought poorly. "More perfect" is itself irrational.
"Perfect" is an absolute, therefore nothing is "more perfect." I should
have said "an enhanced version" or even "an interpretive version,"
because I do not always attempt to improve upon reality. Sometimes I
want to degrade it. It all depends on what I hope to communicate. But I
must disagree with Shel's observation that nothing two-dimensional, on
paper, can improve upon the real thing. When I photograph a woman who is
not beautiful to the naked eye, I attempt to make her appear beautiful
in the picture. If I photograph a landscape at sunset, I might attempt
to use the color of the late day light and perhaps a bit of lens flare
to make the picture more dramatic than the scene appeared to the naked
eye. I don't know if that means that the photograph is an improvement
over reality. But it can certainly be a more attractive depiction of
reality. Technique used with enhancement in mind is even applicable in
the most mundane photographic assignments. I remember when I was working
at Hearst, and I was told to photograph some awards that Motor Magazine
was presenting to service mechanics. Well, the trophies were quite a
boring lot of metal and plastic, so I created some pinpoints of light in
the metal, then used a cross hair filter to achieve some starbursts.
Yes, it was a cheap photographic trick, but the trophies in the
photograph were more attractive than the actual hardware. And that is a
joy to me.
Paul Stenquist
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