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I know that there are a lot of photographers out there that are still anti-Photoshop so I must write this article in its defense. Although most people who voted on my Coke can submission were fine with the PS usage there were a couple people who did not consider it a "photo". Don't forget that there was a time in history when painters and critics alike shunned photography itself as an art form. It was seen rather as a craft because of the mechanical and chemical processes. Pictorialists tried to prove that photography was indeed an art by creating handmade painterly qualities in their photos. They blurred their images, used multiple negatives and other techniques so as to "fit in". Thankfully Alfred Stieglitz founded Photo Secession, a group of photographers whose purpose was to elevate photography into fine art. He was also a supporter of women photographers of that time. Edward Steichen, a protege of Stieglitz helped in creating a new branch of photography, the documentary. These people helped pave the way for all photographers today to be seen as artists and not craftsmen (or women). There are a great many people along the way who stuck to their beliefs and didn't get discouraged by the criticism they received for using this new medium in the way they saw fit.
With technology ever changing in our world I would hope that photographers would accept all other photographers, no matter what format they choose to use. Let us not forget where we started. I have created photos with Holgas (medium format rangefinder), large format with Polaroid back, polaroid transfers and lifts, 35mm, 110, 120, cyanotypes, gum prints, digital PnS, Digital SLR, even polyester plate lithography using photos, etc..... So I am not just a Photoshop reliant digi-head and would hope that others can explore the diverse world of photography. There is not just one type of photography that is considered art.
So with that said, I will tell you how I created this photo. I took a photo of a Coke can in the best light possible to eliminate any glare, I repeated this shot with a Diet Coke can and then I took a photo of a black leather jacket with a zipper on it. I created four different layers in Photoshop and began to merge the photos together one by one. First I cut out both cans from their background (I just shot them on a neutral piece of paper). Then I placed all the elements on separate layers with a black background behind. I began with the zipper by erasing everything around it. Then, using the eraser tool I did the same with the Diet Coke can leaving only what was inside the zipper. These two layers are on top of the Coke can so it appears that the zipper is unzipping the Coke can to reveal the Diet Coke can underneath. Finally for the cherry on top, I flattened the image and used the flood filter from Flamingpear.com to make the melted can look. This can be adjusted to your own visual preference. That, in a nutshell is how "The REAL Thing?" was created.
Keep your mind wide open to everything…a shallow mind doesn't grow. Have fun on this site and don't get discouraged by the "know-it-all" bad apples that don't ever have anything nice to say. Listen to the others and always try to give positive criticism along with the negative. But most of all keep shooting and submitting!
[Inspiring Digital Photography Articles]
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