I was just catching up on my blog reading and I came across The Digital Photography Weblog discussing the two camps of digital photographers.
On the one hand, we have by far the vast majority of digital photographers, people who see Photoshop as not only a digital tool, but an integral part of their daily workflow. These are the RAW advocates. They see JPEG as a hindrance to productivity and quality because you can’t make lossless adjustments.
On the other hand, we have people like Ken Rockwell, and a growing number of professional photographers. The argument is that instant review, the ability to take an almost unlimited number of shots of a subject, and the ability to digitally remaster images are making photographers lazy. JPEG tends to be the favored format here because, as the argument goes, you can’t tell the difference in a final printed product between an untouched JPEG and a converted RAW image, and if you get the shot right the first time, you don’t need CameraRAW to cover your mistakes later.
I know we have members and readers here in both camps. While I was for a while in the non-photoshop opinion group I have started to form my own idea of what is important and it isn’t covered by either side of the above debate.
It’s all about the picture!
It doesn’t matter how you create the picture, what does the picture look like? If the finished photograph doesn’t look good, doesn’t move you or interest you in any way it doesn’t matter how “pure” your technique was by anyone’s standard.
Technorati Tags: digital, photography, raw, photoshop
2 Comments
I’ve been in both camps. I was RAW only for about a year. However, I just couldn’t keep up with the workflow required. But after being about 98% JPG now, I’d say I wouldn’t go back even if I had all the time in the world. The conversion time just isn’t worth it for me. I see almost no difference between a properly exposed JPG and a JPG converted from RAW. If I want to do PS manipulation, I just convert it to PSD and save both that and the finished JPG.
You got that right! It is ALL about the picture.
All these whiners about Digital being unfair, and Photoshop being unfair is a bunch of hogwash.
Reminds me of what I’ve read about the people who thought 35mm was a “toy” without merit when it was first introduced. “It can’t be photography if you don’t have to lug a view camera around!” Cartier-Bresson didn’t think so.
Now that digital has revealed the Joy of Photography to more people than ever before (notice the “joy” in that phrase? it’s about fun and learning to be a better photographer (fun first). Which, I think, is why these whiners are so scared. The revolution has begun, get used to it.
I’m always reminded of my favorite quote (I wish I could remember where it came from!): “Ansel Adams would have loved Photoshop!”