The Camera Never Lies

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The saying above is very well known yet it has never been true. 

Limitations in first film and now digital technology have always meant that the image captured has never been quite the same as what the naked eye sees. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing as often what we see is not what we actually want in terms of the picture in the frame.

Retouching has always been part of the photogrophers armoury, whether it was the greats like Ansel Adams dodging and burning in the darkroom or todays photographers editing in Photoshop. The options are there to make the most of what is captured in camera and, while opinions differ on the amount and effects of retouching done, only a fool would ingnore the opportunity to make the most of the tools available to get the best image possible.

Whether it is removing an unsightly distraction from a background, covering that inevitable pimple that appears on the morning of a wedding or creating a complex artistic composite image, careful retouching means the end result is the best it can be.

Most photos, if captured expertly in camera, need very little retouching but I am yet to see a photo that cannot be improved with just a little editing.

At the other end of the scale fantastic captivating images unobtainable in years gone by can be created with carefull planning, skilled editing and limitless imagination.

Purists will say it is cheating, converts will say it's art. I prefer to say if you like what you see it was worth the effort.