I Compromised A Long-held Principle

[Tronhard]

The kind of photography I have done throughout my career has been documentary - be it wildlife, scenic, industrial, social or any other kind, I have never manipulated an image to show anything different from truth as I saw it at the time. I have often sought an artistic perspective or composition of a subject, but I have never substantially changed the content of the image.

Recently, I had to set that one aside... but for a good cause.

My next door neighbour from quite a few years and an on-going family friend has been a player in my world for about 20 years.  She was often a help and haven to my family when someone was sick, or locked out of the house or just stressed because she had the steady, professional demeanor of a trauma nurse.

It was with huge shock and sadness that I discovered she had been diagnosed with aggressive terminal cancer.  I wanted to make a portrait of her to have something for her family to cherish when she passed on. However, between one thing and another I had not been able to get a photo shoot going for several weeks. 

My plan was to have her given a bit of a make-over - hair and cosmetic treatment to make her look her best, but when the family turned up none of that had happened: it took them over an hour just to get her out of the house to be able to travel to the venue they wanted.  When they arrived, I was shattered by the devastation imposed on her by the cancer: her vacant eyes and remoteness.  I was now faced with a haggard shell of the person I had known and respected. 

Still, I took a series of images of them all, and with her alone.  I presented them with the results as shot, but I was mindful of the expectation that, for many of those attending a service or celebration of her life, such a photo would be traumatic and distasteful and, above all, they didn't do her justice. One of the major revolutions of the photograph itself was the ability to see how a beloved ancestor once looked and I could not leave those images to posterity.  So, I broke my rule.

I have always said I am a pretty basic Photoshop user, but now I was desperate, and I did a search in the help system for something that might help me to improve her image.  I came across Photoshop's Neural filters and the de-aging algorithm, and I judiciously applied it to several images - the results were amazing to me.

While I appreciate the artistic application of such technology, I had not wanted to see it applied to manipulate the truth (although that horse has clearly bolted long ago).  I didn't want to do any more than relieve some of the ravages of the disease - certainly not make her look like a spring chicken again.

So, here are the results (with permission):
The Original as shot Modified in AIOriginal as Shot After the AI treatment

I still struggle with this, but I hope it will be more comfortable to those left behind to look at the resultant images.

[p4pictures]

Trevor I can understand the conflict you went through here, but I am sure that all the people who will see the final image with the treatment will still recognise the person they want to remember. In my view that is what you have achieved and while it's a compromise of your own ethics it is in my view certainly appropriate here.

[Tronhard]

Brian, thank you so much for your feedback.  I have fairly strong principles as to what or how I would photograph, and this was a situation completely out of my comfort zone.  That support helps a lot.

Much appreciated.

[zakslm]

Trevor,

I don't see a much difference in what you did so subtly and artfully with technology vs. what one of my mentors (a wedding and event photographer) used to do during a wedding or event when photographing a subject that was not quite “perfect”.  He always carried a soft-focus filter in his pocket and took a shot without the filter then one with it.  The majority of the time, the client chose the shot taken with the soft-focus filter. 

Very nice work!

LZ

[Tronhard]

Hi Zak and thanks:|

It's all about comfort zones, I guess. I have studiously avoided wedding photos and rarely done them or even photos of people - it can get complicated when we encounter the subjects' insecurities, pride or other emotions.  As Elliott Erwitt said, when asked why he photographed dogs, they are easier to get on with,  not demanding, and they don't ask for prints!

I guess my own feelings of deep sadness for the loss of a dear friend, and the horrible way in which cancer takes a life - that is how I lost my wife, so doubtless some history there...

[stevet1]

Trevor,

If you can take solace in one thing, it's knowing that what you did was to help them, and not to help yourself.

Steve

[Tronhard]

Thanks Steve.  I just came back from the hospital and presented a framed print of the family shot and both she and her daughter were appreciative and she said it would be company for her to look at when there are no visitors.  Another daunting look as the life and personality drain away as life ebbs.  

[Tronhard]

Thanks Steve, the act of passing on deserves all the support for everyone concerned.