[pizza234]

> Photography is an art form and that means you get to do whatever you want. Edit freely [...]

This has made me lose faith and interest in (most of) photography. While I can't speak for the past, modern photography often feels dishonest to me. Many photographers heavily retouch their images, yet allow viewers to believe that the final result reflects reality.

It would be more honest if photographers acknowledged that their published work is a creative interpretation rather than a direct representation of reality. But of course, admitting this would diminish the "wow" factor.

[foldr]

Most retouching techniques used in modern digital photography were also practiced in darkrooms.

For a famous example of this, take Ansel Adam's Moonrise over Hernandez. A straight contact print looks like this: https://i0.wp.com/www.haroldhallphotography.com/wp-content/u...

The final image looks like this: https://i0.wp.com/www.haroldhallphotography.com/wp-content/u...

https://www.haroldhallphotography.com/ansel-adams-and-group-...

[nayuki]

> more honest if photographers acknowledged that their published work is a creative interpretation rather than a direct representation of reality

My high school English teacher said this on the first day: All media are constructions.

[majgr]

True, they are for likes. Images with the most likes are kind of kitschy to me, sunset, mountains, or stuff like that. As a mediocre, or even bad photographer i can photograph whatever pleases me, and as amateur I am out of that race.

[mannyv]

Every photograph lies. The art is in making it the lie you want others to see.