On Photo Manipulations

I read an interesting Blog post today, from a 97 year old photographer...
I have his "Vermont Guidebook" (although I have the older version, his website says it has been updated. I just ordered his Cape Cod guide book. 
Lisa

On Photo Manipulations
by Arnold Kaplan

I don’t subscribe to the notion that the image you capture in the camera is the image you have to end up with. At age 97, with 85 years of photography under my belt, I have come to believe that my photos are just a starting point. From there, I bring my creativity and artistic sensibility (I am also an oil painter) to bear on the images I create, some of which I call “derivations”.

And as such, I fully realize that my work may offend some purists who believe that absolute realism should be every photographer’s goal.

“The purist does not create anything new”

The purist does not create anything new unless they actually create a drawing, a painting, a sculpture, etc., and then take a photo of it — thus, it is a photograph of their original creation. When the purist photographs outdoors, or takes a portrait, they are just making a copy of what Mother Nature has created.

When we were all shooting film, we tried very hard to improve the color slide with all kinds of sandwiched filters or double images, darkening parts of the photo, etc. We did a lot of manipulation of both color slides and prints. In the darkroom, we would dodge and burn parts of the print to improve the impact of the image. Even Ansel Adams used various methods of exposure to get his great photos.

“The original image is just the beginning”

The original image is just the beginning. I believe the photographer should be allowed to be as creative as other artists, and use whatever means to create the desired image.

The above was written by http://arnoldkaplanphotography.com/

"In the year 2013, I was 97 years old and have been interested in photography for almost 85 years, getting my first Kodak Brownie camera when I was 11 years old and by time I was 12, I was developing my own film and prints in a homemade cellar darkroom that was converted from an unused coal bin. I was awarded the high honor of "Associate" (APSA) by the Photographic Society Of America in 1974 and in 1976 was awarded the title of "Artiste" (AFIAP) by the Photographic International de L'Art in Europe for outstanding achievement in photo education, photo exhibitions and photography. I also wrote guide books "How To Find and Photograph The Photo-Scenics In Vermont" and "The Cape Cod Scenic GPS Guide Book". I am active in Cape Cod photo and art associations where I am a juried member, allowing me to exhibit my photographs in various fine art photo exhibition."

Read more about Arnold here http://arnoldkaplanphotography.com/about.php