Is it OK to alter an original to emphasize something in the scene or the perception of the photographer, or should photos be left as found by the mechanical skills of the photographer on the ground?
Look at this, essentially a full-frame 35mm photo from the Long Beach Grand Prix, 1982:
If the fellow at the right is cropped out, a nice piece of evidence that deCesaris was there, what he was driving, the competition number, approximate colors of his car, helmet, etc. With the fellow in battle pose included this view is a take-off point for any number of themes about conflict between Andrea and the Press, between the Press and safety stewards, between common sense and obsession . . . Full-size (760x???) view at
http://www.fototime....A3AD47/orig.jpg
Another crop of the same photo:
A whole 'nother comment on F1-the-circus, deCesaris the performer, who knows what all else? Full -size view at
http://www.fototime....641887/orig.jpg
Here are two others from the same event, I think, in differing degrees of departure from the record pictures they might be in full-frame versions.
http://www.fototime....A1DA01/orig.jpg
http://www.fototime....D5C1A0/orig.jpg
I know both kinds of photos have value, but if I'd ever thought recording just the presence and configuration of cars was all that was possible, I'd have probably quit photographing long ago. Can you imagine my joy at the possibilities opened by digital processing? I have thousands of racing-car images to mess with. Lucky me.
Frank Sheffield
San Diego CA USA
