The explosion onto the market of digital technology has had a profound affect on the world of photography. Complex, very capable equipment is now within the economic reach of the masses. Computer software enables images to be manipulated and presented with endless possibilities. Photographs can be printed at home with a quality rivaling commercial labs. With so many facilities at hand, how does this impact on my work?
Capturing the image
The move to Durness has provided me with the opportunity and time to concentrate on my passion for landscape photography. That is important as many of the images you see in my collections are the result of time-consuming research identifying possible compositions and noting the conditions needed to produce an image which I will be satisfied with. What time of year, what time of day, where to site the camera, what exposure settings to use . . . ultimately there has to be something special about the composition which makes me want to capture it. Photography for me is not about creating pictures of mountains and lochs as objects - it is about capturing a moment in time which makes a setting special.
Image manipulation
Much has been written about what is acceptable in the production of commercial photography. Which filters (if any) is it appropriate to use? What ‘post-production’ manipulation (if any) is acceptable?
In my opinion, one’s approach to this must be driven by individual values. In my case, a phrase from childhood has always stuck with me and guided me in what I do - “honesty is the best policy.” In practice, what I present as a finished piece of work should be a true representation of what I saw through the camera viewfinder. The only exception to this is with my ‘art photography’ and ‘composite images’ where for example the addition of a clean, white backdrop is clear to be seen.
Filters - The only filters I use enable me to work with the available light - for the technically minded, various grades of ND Grad and occasionally a polarising filter.
