Comments on: Photographers are visual liars

By: Mike Baird

Mike Baird — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:49:09 +0000

I found your proposition and reader comments to hit the nail on the head. It really addresses what photography is all about for some. Now I’m satisfied that some of my crappier photos are actually the more realistic, but it does not make them any good. It is said that “Perception is controlled hallucination” so creative photography has to be about inducing elements of hallucination to mold the perception we want to communicate. mike [at} mikebaird d o t com

By: Chica

Chica — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:46:26 +0000

What a wonderful new think to think about, I’ve posted about this as well, gave credit back to this site, and post. :)

By: John Watson

John Watson — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:53:52 +0000

That’s probably true though I think you’re comparing apples and oranges. People don’t have the same expectations of impressionist paintings as they do from photographs.

By: Mac

Mac — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:25:52 +0000

I’m not a liar any more than any other artist working in a visual medium. No one asks if Van Gogh fudged a bit when presenting us with Starry Night, do they?

By: Sam (Sam's Stock photo review)

Sam (Sam's Stock photo review) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:32:19 +0000

until they design a camera that duplicates what the eye sees (and that isn’t even half of what’s going on in other parts of the invisible spectrum), all photography will be “a lie”, just enjoy the beauty of it, that’s what i say…

By: toyfoto

toyfoto — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:02:09 +0000

I think “liar” is kind of a strange word. Especially when it tries to lable something that is arguably arbitrary.

Whever you edit something, frame something, bolster something to make a point. When you write something from your own perspective you are selectively eliminating something that others may feel is important.

Any type of communication can be called “a lie” if one person wants to drag another person down a notch or two.

Santa is fundamentally a LIE but he is also a story with a moral, and a purpose beyond the reality that he doesn’t really exist in person form.

For me a lie in photo form is one that has been deliberately manipulated (think cloning tool to add smoke and explosions to a news image) to inflate what actually happened.

A photo like this, though, seems more of an illustration of a thought. Not really a lie at all.

By: Donncha O Caoimh

Donncha O Caoimh — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:41:02 +0000

You could say the same thing about any artistic or creative endeavour. It’s a snapshot in time and it’s up to the artist to create “as honest” a portrait of that scene as possible, whether it be a photo, painting, song or writing.

By: Johnsenclan » Blog Archive » Links 2/25/08

Johnsenclan » Blog Archive » Links 2/25/08 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:33:56 +0000

[...] Photographers are visual liars [...]

By: s'mee

s'mee — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:52:27 +0000

Agh! This has been my thought for a very long time. I used to work in the wedding industry and frankly, I got SO tired of seeing all the “I wanna be a supermodel” photo shoots rather than what really happened at the wedding event. Beautiful bride holding her bouquet, “look down, think about nuclear physic and quantum theories….SNAP..got it.” “Run across the grass with your bridesmaids…SNAP..got it.” “O.k. guys, pick up the bride like she’s a piece of lumber….SNAP..got it.” It is ridiculous.

Thousands of dollars spent on an afternoon of memories that more than likely never happened. What a freaking waste. But damn! She looks great in that dress!

and a hearty “AMEN Sistah!” to Peggy’s suggestion that the Boy is a great actor.

By: Peggy

Peggy — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:39:04 +0000

Who cares if the photo was “staged” after the fact. It reveals a bond between father and son that viewers can identify with. (I would say your son has some acting ability!)