In light and dark, with texture and without, in infinite colors and shapes and forms, and with raw emotion - this is how the world begs to be captured. Through multiple nearly flawless glass elements, the slight signal blurring of an anti-aliasing filter, the conversion from photons to electrons through millions of individual pixels on a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor set in a Bayer pattern, the necessary interpolation with demosaicing algorithms to produce a full color composite image, the in-camera sharpening to account for the signal loss of the anti-aliasing filter, and then ultimately viewing on mostly uncalibrated monitors or printing to vastly differing paper choices - this is how we see it. As an aside, considering the steps involved, anyone who objects to so-called "digital darkroom" enhancements is ignoring a tremendous amount of already questionable processing. As another aside, anyone who believes that shooting with film cameras is the answer to this problem is also ignoring an almost equal amount of questionable processing.
The truth is that cameras can't always capture what we see. Fine art photography is not always a matter of truth or fiction. Did the scene look exactly as it does in this print? Many digital photographers will hear some variation of this from time to time. In most cases these questions have no practical value. The role of the fine art photographer is not to capture some momentary scenic "truth." Indeed, this remains impossible given current technology. Instead, it should be the aim of the photographer to remain true to that which gives the creative impulse to capture the scene in the first place. It's not about cheating nature, it's about fulfilling an artistic vision. The only "truths" that the artist and the viewer need consider are his or her own.
Isaac Andres is a freelance photographer living in Broomfield, Colorado. Prints and image licensing are available through Acclaim Images.
For any special requests or questions please contact Isaac at the following address:
