gardening your shots

[C Kruk]

Thats what Ive heard it called when you move objects or rearrange stuff before you take the shot. With digital its even more pronounced what with all the pp you can do.

I have heard arguments on both sides of 'gardening' your shots before you take them I personally think that you should do what you can both before and after to make it all it can be.

Having said that there is something to be said for keeping it real! I like imperfection and a little imbalance as I feel it represents what we really encounter. Rairly is there no obstruction or perfect light or no bozos making faces in a shot.

I think some is ok, but I now look at photos in such a new way. I'd remove this or change the tone of light or whatever.

How do you y'all feel about gardening your shots. How much do you do and when or where do you stop?
--
Christina
Just take the picture, fer cry'n out loud!
proud new owner of a D50

 

[kithg]

Good question Christina, I'll be interested to see what folks say. I am the mother of two daughters, so I'm used to everyone putting on lipstick and brushing their hair before I take the shot on some occasions. Then other times, I just shoot away and they don't even know until they see the picture. Similarly, if there's a branch in between me and the shot of that grackle, I move the branch and hope I don't scare the grackle. I tidy weeds out of the way of flower pictures. And now that I have discovered PS, I have been known to remove branches, flags, leaves, and whole people from frames if I can get away with it. I am not Ansel Adams and never will be - I need all the help I can get. That said, the joy of taking an excellent photograph that needs no tidying or post production at all is unmatched. It doesn't happen to me very often, but when it does, I just glow.
--
All the best,
Kit
Please see my pictures at
http://www.parazz.com/albums/kithg

 

[jaysonmc]

Overall, I'm just lazy. I hardley post-process (maybe to sharpen and adjust contrast a bit), and in the field I am even worse. I never move sticks, rearrange pots or the like. Though I do admit I move around alot, and try to find the best shot/angle I can with the camera and make best of the situation. Perhaps if I had more time in life I would spend it in on the computer fixing up the photos.

Feel free to check out my Garden gallery, not much there.

http://mcivor.smugmug.com/gallery/1376748/1/68781743

 

[C Kruk]

Feel free to check out my Garden gallery, not much there.

Great pics Jay. Love the Fiddleheads

--
Christina
Just take the picture, fer cry'n out loud!
proud new owner of a D50

 

[Mofongo]

C Kruk wrote:
How do you y'all feel about gardening your shots. How much do you
do and when or where do you stop?

Hi Christina,

Great post...

Seeing I am not a photojournalist or a crime scene photographer I do whatever is necessary to get the photo I envision in my mind...

Sometimes I may need an alligator clip on a stick to stop a flower from swaying in the breeze...

Other times a little "pruning" is needed to remove background distractions...

Any garbage is removed from a nature photo...

If I don't notice at the time of shooting and see it later I have no problem using the clone tool...

I don't think a painter would include garbage in a nature scene, why should I?

Naturally I will try and move around first to remove distractions but if that doesn't work I will do what it takes as long as I don't harm anything...

Just my opinions, others may vary...

Bob

--
'Photography is more about depth of feeling than depth of field'
http://www.pbase.com/mofongo

 

[Emeka U]

Yeah, I do this when its necessary...I remove trash near my subjects, move garbage bins (sometimes), or other obsturctions. I try to keep it to minimum, but I've no quams about gardening shots....and I'm under the impression that most people do this to some degree.

--
I likes shootin' things with them new-fangled picture-takin' devices!
VISIT OFTEN: http://emeka.smugmug.com (comments welcomed)

 

[laurenlex]

I will move junk.

I will move people.

I will clone, dodge and burn.

I will use levels, curves, and also use blending modes.

I will clone out junk.

Science is just setting the apature and shutter speed, and nailing the exposure. Sure, that is what you "saw".

Art is making the image something to look at. Something to go, "Ahhhh" Something you want on your wall.

Reality is great, but in my opinion, it needs a lot of post processing to be intersting.

 

[C Kruk]

Science is just setting the apature and shutter speed, and nailing
the exposure. Sure, that is what you "saw".

Art is making the image something to look at. Something to go,
"Ahhhh" Something you want on your wall.

Reality is great, but in my opinion, it needs a lot of post
processing to be intersting.

--

Makes sense when you put it that way. I like that I am creating art, but I want to represent what I'm seeing too.

I guess thats what it boils down to. Processing to the point that the picture represents what I, the artist, the photo artist, really sees.
I can live with that.

After all as Bob says 'I don't think a painter would include garbage in a nature scene, why should I?

Christina
Just take the picture, fer cry'n out loud!
proud new owner of a D50

 

[Jack Lord]

Reality is great, but in my opinion, it needs a lot of post
processing to be intersting.

One of the things that make photography so interesting is the different ways different people can make reality beautiful. Some move heaven and earth to do it, others take a another few steps or wait a few more seconds. I like my reality as it is. But of course, it depends on what you like to shoot. I'm found my joy in PJ/docu kind of photography which makes gardening counterproductive.



My post processing is limited to adjusting sharpness, WB, cropping, levels and maybe B&W conversion.

Of course, around the home, when shooting my baby, I do move some toys and chairs aside when they get in the way.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlol/