I can be a closed-minded curmudgeon.

Several days ago I posted an image: "Virgin River Pano".  My friend (a photographer I greatly admire) Matt Beaty suggested that dropping a "better" sky would be cool. I immediately said no. This image was a great representation of a number of classical artistic concepts as well as an accurate depiction of the moment in time. Where's the journalistic integrity?

This is a debate that has dogged digital photography since the first time someone put their buddies head on Marylin Monroe's body.

Fact: Painters have been doing it consciously and subconsciously since the beginning of time.

Fact: It's not an evil of Photoshop. I could do it in the chemical darkroom I keep in my home.

Here's the image again:

I'm going to play with altering/adding/dropping in the sky.

I'm going to make a hi res copy available to Matt and anyone else via dropbox who would like to play too.

This is NOT a competition. Ansel Adams was well known for his belief that Taking the picture was like composing a song. Making a print was the performance. It will be fun to see a few interpretations (or maybe disheartening to see a completely apathetic response. whatever) of the same song.

Shooting JacQue and Andy this weekend. Yayy!!!

Comment with your email if you want this via dropbox.

Dropbox is taking a while to upload. May be ready this afternoon.

Ciao Bella,

Dano