Edit or change it

2021, December 8

This week at our photo club NAFVA we had the challenge to edit, or even fully change photos from other members. We received a couple of photos, I decided to edit only one of the photographs. The other photographs were more about landscapes and portraits. So with this photo I approached it from what I would choose to capture in this scene and then apply my style to it.

It was very interesting to see all the edits and sometimes even complete changes from the other submissions. I find it remarkable that sometimes you can already recognise who edited which photo. But most interesting is that everybody is seeing something else. This is really a relieve, it means everybody has his unique style and view on things.

Although there is a big difference in people’s ability and experience of software. It doesn’t mean that a photograph is better edited when someone knows the software down to the last detail.

I have seen some photographs edited over the top. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes due to lack of knowledge how to do this differently. I just wonder if having all these quick and easy tricks in software, like changing the clouds, removing subjects, applying filters and themes is a good thing?

In the end, just like with photography, it’s about what you see and what you want to tell. So you need to understand your camera and you need to understand your prefered software. It doesn’t matter which tool you use, as long as you can make the photographs you want.