What Is Real?

Photoshop almost ruined my love of photography, until I realized the true potential. 

When I sat in class for the first of what was to be three college courses to learn the vast photo editing program and the instructor showed us a finely detailed image of a New York scene made entirely in a computer and without a camera, I just shook my head in awe. "Photography is dead", I thought.

Then one evening I was out with my camera. I saw an ultra-light aircraft off in the distance heading towards me. I had a vision in my mind of the image that I wanted to create. As the small plane approached I composed the shot and snapped a few frames, but the end result was not even close to what I had imagined. Later, at the computer, I started working on a composite using two of the frames that I captured and eventually produced the final piece above.

Is it real? Not according to some in the photographic community, but it is definitely a more "realistic" rendition of my vision. Besides, what has ever been real about photography. I have always believed that if a photograph is disclosed as a composite or digital illustration, then all is good. Some of my peers have revealed that they were afraid to use Auto-Focus on their cameras because "purists" would frown upon it. I say, use the technology. I say, use it to tell your story. I say, use it whether it's real or not.