Digitally manipulated photos are everywhere, and the type of software used to do the manipulating is now in the hands of so many that a certain level of skepticism regarding the authenticity of some photos is to be expected. But after browsing a collection of shadows-created-from-junk photos, then reading the comments left by others, I can't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, it's all gone a bit too far.
In this case, the cynicism that springs from constant exposure to ultra-realistic—but fake—images results in immediate disbelief on the part of quite a few visitors to the site. Others insist the images are authentic, based on their own experiences with this type of art. It doesn't seem to matter, either, that the first sculpture in the series, Lunch With A Helmet On, was created in 1987, well before software like Photoshop was routinely used to fool the eye. In 1987, it took 848 welded forks, knives and spoons to do it.
I was watching the film "Apocalypse Now" again the other night, and I found myself truly amazed by the pyro-explosive special effects, knowing that they *weren't* done in post-production by Industrial Light and Magic. Nowadays I assume that most all amazing things in films are digital effects, and I'm always surprised to learn (in the Making-Of featurettes) that a lot of stuff is still "real" -- if for no other reason than because it's still cheaper to do things for real than to have George Lucas' people work their wizardry.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised about Apocalypse, too. Someone had fun with all those rockets etc., probably more fun than would have been had with digital effects anyway. I imagine there will come a day when it costs less to do the effects digitally, but (thankfully, in some cases) not just yet.
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