Red plants and photoshop

**Tom Barr** · 12-07-2011, 09:33 PM

We have had a few of these discussions over the years, but many seem to feel they have bad reds but many of the pics are adjusted to take some of the white washing out and display the reds many feel are present.

I reduced the gamma some in this image which is out of focus, but you get the idea but the hue was not touched:

Now, here I've take this same image and only adjusted the hue a couple of ticks/units(out of 100) lower:

Huge difference.

I am a better grower or am I a better photoshop user?

A little bit might be forgivable. A lot is not. Fine line, some would argue NO color alteration or image enhance is allowed, but every one of them do some.

**dutchy** · 12-07-2011, 09:48 PM

The use of photoshop seems to be part of the illusion that is created around perfect plants and scapes, and even fish. Did you ever succed in making all the fish in the same direction at an exact horizontal line? I can't. The problem is that an illusion is created that no one will ever be able to achieve. This makes the enhancers look like magicians and the beginner like a failure. This is a bad development I think.

I recall a scape that was on IAPLC but the mods that were made were accidentally publicly accessible on the scapers photoalbum. This made a real riot.

Too bad that some people have to rely on software to make something beautiful. Apparently they can't do it without. Anyway, it tells me just something about their photoshop skills, and nothing about their skills as an aquarist.

**Tom Barr** · 12-08-2011, 05:10 AM

Well scaping contest are art/photography also.............and some of the BEST scapers also happen to be professional photographers, if not, they learned those same tricks.
This is not to be taken lightly, folks should learn these tricks and software applications as much as they learn how to take nice pictures, do hard scapes, prune, trim, doing nice plumbing jobs, nice rimless tanks, etc etc.........

Main thing is to be aware of of it and to not be piggish and go too far. Being up front about what is used and how much in the software is also not a bad idea that I've NEVER seen discussed on any planted forum.

I have to ask, why is that????????

It's part of the art, the scape, the contest...........but is a convenient secret.

**1077** · 12-08-2011, 10:49 AM

GAAAAH! Smoke and mirror's (say it ain't so).
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, the great OZ has spoken"

**Tom Barr** · 12-09-2011, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by 1077

GAAAAH! Smoke and mirror's (say it ain't so).
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, the great OZ has spoken"

I do not speak for nor am implying everyone does this, but for folks to be aware of it and to capture and adjust the settings and see if they seem accurate........or not.........
I've seen it done and I've heard LIARS insist they would NEVER do this.

I've seen a lot of plants over the last 35 years with all sorts of tweaks.........you ain't gonna fool me.

One is on the cover of a book.

**Aquadream** · 12-09-2011, 07:15 PM

As a professional artist for me is very easy to spot make ups. I have seen too much photoshop and contacted ADA for the last IAPLC. They did not care.
I guess aquascaping means photoshop crockery more than aquatic skills and knowledge.

The other thing here is that many aquatic plants would exhibit difference in colour if put in various conditions. I suppose that makes it difficult to spot a lot of the photoshop crokery.

I wrongly accused a guy on ASW for using photoshop to add rocks to his layout #130 IAPLC 2011. However after apology I am still convinced that he used photoshop to get rid of the algae on those rocks. That is why I had the distinct impression that he added those rocks by photoshop.

Those things should not be left unnoticed and some questions should be asked.

I think this kind of cheating does not make anything more beautiful. It just brings a lot of disappointment to those that work hard to enter any competition.

**csmith** · 12-10-2011, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Aquadream

I think this kind of cheating does not make anything more beautiful. It just brings a lot of disappointment to those that work hard to enter any competition.

Competition, no matter what kind, will bring out the dirt bags ready to get that edge on the others. It's simple things like this that can destroy people's drive in this hobby. The scapes in these competitions are mind blowing to those of us lacking in the ability to create them. Ruining it by using a computer program to enhance the outcome is a shame. Kudos to those of you competing in scape competitions, I for one know I could never do it. You're damn near required to cheat, just to even the field.

**tjbuege** · 12-11-2011, 06:46 AM

I know... let's all hand out rose-tinted glasses to guests visiting our tanks. Then we don't have to worry about reds.

**Tom Barr** · 12-11-2011, 07:57 AM

Well, red hued lighting also works and Flashes with Red filters also helps.

It not the part of the Art, the photography itself though??

Is not part of digital photography post processing? Where is that line drawn?
Is the "real" aquascape now "fake" ??

Is this a photo contest or is is an aquascaping contest?
Aren't the pictures pretty regardless??

Just playing Devil's advocate.