Nature Photography: Striking the Balance Between Reality and Art

Hello, fellow nature and art lovers! Today, let's talk about a hot debate in photography - how much digital manipulation should be allowed in nature photography.

male and female bullfinches in the snow

Sure, basic adjustments like contrast and exposure are necessary and happen in the digital camera whether or not you like it. But what about removing objects, "correcting" animals, or adding objects to improve composition?

Some of the most famous photographers, like Fan Ho and Steve McCurry used manipulation in their work. While Fan Ho did it openly, McCurry introduced his photos as authentic, and was forced to admit manipulation only after hard evidence became public.

Approaching Shadow - Fan Ho

Afghan Girl - Steve Mccurry

But what does it all mean for me? As an artist, what should I do?

I consider myself a pragmatist, not a purist. When I submit to competitions or events that require authenticity, I follow the rules. But when it comes to my personal creation, I see the camera simply as a tool in my arsenal and use it to create the first stage in a process of creation.

Let me give you a recent example. A few weeks ago, I fell in love with the bullfinches in Finland. I wanted to capture a photo of both the female and male together on a white snowy background, with the less vibrant female as the dominant subject. I also wanted the photo to look – like many of my bird photos – on the border between a photograph and a painting.

I couldn't achieve this in-camera, so I had to plan it out. I spent a few days near a feeder in Kuusamo, Finland where the bull finches regularly visited. I overexposed the photos and took them with low contrast ‘film’ to make them more painting-like. I ended up with a couple of hundreds of photos to choose two from.

Femal bullfinch

Male bullfinch in the snow

Later at my desk, I worked on each photo with a (digital) brush to remove unwanted elements and make them look more like paintings. Finally, I merged the two photos together for the final result.

Male and female bullfinch final image

This is my process of creation. What do you think? Do you prefer pure, unedited nature photography or do you embrace the artistry of digital manipulation? Let me know.

If you're interested in buying the bullfinch photo you can see the details here. Or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me here.

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