The sun sets behind a wooden bench along a hiking trail in southeast Wisconsin. A quiet, peaceful little scene. But is this reality? The short answer is no. The bench was certainly there but when I took this shot, I really had no clue where the sun was since it was overcast and in the middle of the afternoon. So I’ll fully admit – this scene is Photoshopped. Gasp!
Why am I telling you this? Well, I think it is important for photographers to be open and honest when they create and/or manipulate reality. I am an artist that happens to use photography as my medium. I am not a photojournalist, so what you see in my art may or may not have been captured in one shot. What I create comes from the heart and mind and the moods and emotions I feel when I am out shooting and when I am processing. The images I make will reflect that.
So I will continue to Photoshop my images. Whatever works! As an artist, the most important lesson to learn (and I’m still learning) is to create what you want, how you want. Don’t worry about what anyone else says. It is your art – let your heart lead the way.
Day 228 of my 365 photo a day project.
This is the image straight out of the camera:
If you are looking for art for your home or office or something to spice up your digital desktop, this image and most of the others from this project are available as prints and digital downloads. You can also check out the rest of my portfolio here.
