I don't know why you say this isn't photography? I have to go out like everyone else, with my camera and capture an image. In addition, I am very particular about every image I present. Just as much goes into finding the right moment and prep (correct exposure etc) as the embellishment of the image in my "digital darkroom". In actuality, this is no different than Ansel Adams or any other photographer, who processed their medium/large format images in a traditioanl darkroom, it's just more popular and accessible now.
There is a big difference between a little post production work (read: fixing exposure, even sharpness or hue), and the HDR stuff that Jason is doing. He's basically taking somewhere between 5 and 30 images at different shutter speeds, then blending them together and chosing to use sections of each image to make a much more detailed version. Without a medium/large format camera you can't even come CLOSE to images with this kind of detail, let alone with a D50 (the cheapest entry level SLR camera from Nikon currently selling).
I really love the look of these images, but to represent it as "photography" is really a far cry from true. Art, perhaps - even excellent art, but not photography.
I have a photo of the lower falls of the Yellowstone river that my grandfather took in 1936.
He not only took the picture he enlarged it, hand colored it, matted and mounted it and built the frame. It is gorgeous. It is also not an accurate representation in your mind because he took a black and white photo and hand colored it.
The point being that sometimes a tweak here and there only serves to make a great photo a fantastic one. In this case I fond no fault in it. I have seen and tried to photograph skies like this when I lived in the Dakotas and the film/equipment/lighting just did not accurately reflect the reality of the subject.
Regards,
Jason
I really love the look of these images, but to represent it as "photography" is really a far cry from true. Art, perhaps - even excellent art, but not photography.
He not only took the picture he enlarged it, hand colored it, matted and mounted it and built the frame. It is gorgeous. It is also not an accurate representation in your mind because he took a black and white photo and hand colored it.
The point being that sometimes a tweak here and there only serves to make a great photo a fantastic one. In this case I fond no fault in it. I have seen and tried to photograph skies like this when I lived in the Dakotas and the film/equipment/lighting just did not accurately reflect the reality of the subject.