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8 Phonebox Magazine | October 2024Olney Camera Club: The Sky%u2019s the LimitThe vast majority of folks leave it to the camera to handle the image, and that%u2019s ok if you are taking snaps while out and about or the like. Many amateur photographers prefer to use a computer to %u2018improve%u2019 their images, using programmes such as Photoshop, for example, with raw image fi les straight from their camera sensor (almost).%u00a0 This allows a great deal of control over your image; it is useful if you want to enter a competition or make a large print, for example.Some people might consider image manipulation to be wrong %u2013 a way of distorting the truth, maybe %u2013 but photographers have been tweaking their images since the dawn of photography, and all digital camera software initially doctors the image to produce a %u2018nice%u2019 photo.I think most photographers have their own image manipulation red line which they prefer not to cross. Wildlife photographers would not adulterate their shots %u2013 no jessies removed from birds of prey, for example. Female portrait photographers work hard to remove skin blemishes.Beyond this there is Photo Art, where the image may be so heavily manipulated that you would have trouble recognising it from the original out of the camera.Competition rules vary, and our club is quite liberal; just don%u2019t brag that you have swapped a sky, for example %u2013 or the members might tease you a little. Just do it well, and nobody will know. Talking of sky swapping, most of the top image manipulation software now includes %u2018AI%u2019 functions, including the replacement of poor skies. I think this AI term is overused in this context because when you look at what it has done, it is nothing more than you would do if you were familiar with the technique, but it is much quicker. These AI functions cover the popular manipulation tricks, but it is useful to be good at masking and selection techniques so you are adaptable and capable of so much more. I have escaped from the Adobe Photographers subscription package now for a cheaper or free set of alternatives, but what I have learned previously is still valid for this stuff .Beware the competition judge; they have seen it all before and have keen eyesight for spotting faults like heavyhanded dodging and burning or over-egged saturation boosting. After all it is not a holiday brochure, so the image is expected to appear real and natural. Don%u2019t bother dropping the northern lights into an Olney night sky %u2013 you will get some withering critique %u2013 however well it is done.All the images shown for this article have been skyswapped, the sunset came second in one of our competitions.Next Meeting: Wed 16th October: Annual General Meeting. Starts 8pm at the Swan Inn & Bistro.Wed 30th October: Practice Photo Session. Starts 8pm at the Olney Centre.See our %u2018gallery%u2019 and check further meeting details on our website at www.olneycameraclub.co.ukSo, you%u2019ve taken some lovely images on your camera; what do you do with them now?Field Barn Tuscany by Andy GailerBottega Verde Farm Tuscany by Andy GailerIl Cypressino Tuscany by Andy GailerFor further information call Andy Tel. 01234 714570; or info@olneycameraclub.co.uk