Photographer Matt Hoyle (featured on Neatorama before here) has this photo series titled "Fighters" featuring retired boxers who were fierce back in the days and still look like they can beat the tar out of me now!
http://matthoyle.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=12351&Akey=KLBEK6W2 [Flash, warning: it'll resize your window, but the photos are great!]
Those look like such CGs. I know they're photographs, but my mind is just clicking them in as CGs.
/agh/
The Train Depot image cinches it. Unless of course he took extraordinary steps to make them look CG, like painting sharp edged shadows on the floor, etc.
Well, I'm just going by the whole... "vintage boxers photography" thing.
There are a few that definitely look like photographs, but some look so rendered, and not in the HDR kind of way. That one you linked up there is a grand example of such.
I guess he might have superimposed a CG over the actual photograph. Who knows... but it's definitely confusing my eyes.
I think they are amazing images. If they are altered to some degree, does that not make them simply photographs that have been altered?
At what point is it no longer "photography?" Is it when you digitally edit a photo? Surely not. If so, that is to say that no skill is required as long as digital editing tools are available. I will not swallow that sentiment.