How did you shoot banners, or 1:1 aspect ratio requirements?
I Shot on 5x4, and for 1:1 extended the rail and bellows. For smaller macro work I used to use extension tubes on a Mamyia RB67
What did you do with your sports shots that had wonky horizons?
A).. just don't get it wonky in the first place, and B) cropping isn't anything under discussion here anyway.
Why are we suddenly discussing cropping, or enlarging and image? You all know full well that's not what the OP was referring to with the whole digital/processing debate. Images have always been cropped for as long as there's been photography.
This debate is descending more and more into pedantry as it goes along.
Digital makes you lazy. You end up not doing everything in camera because you don't have to. I say lazy... but actually, that's a misnomer: It's actually more difficult and more time consuming to do most of the things I see done, in post... but they require less skill to do in post... so it's not laziness in photography, as most people are quite dedicated when it comes to post processing - It's a laziness in learning. People would rather spend time at the computer instead. Maybe they enjoy it.... no idea. Great for the hobbyist, but I wonder how productive you are as a commercial photographer if you spend hours at the computer when it's not necessary.
If you're Dave Hill... sure, you're entire career is predicated upon sitting at a computer. Having said that though.... Jill Greenberg spends hours sitting at a computer too, but I often find it amusing when amateurs consistently fail to copy her style even though they have step by step instructions on how to do so. What they fail to appreciate it that her post processing relies on a very specific
lighting requirement to make it work well.
Anyone else who spends hours at a computer when it's not necessary really should consider investing more time in learning how to work more efficiently if you ask me. Those who feel their work demands heavy post processing need to consider that improving their lighting skills will probably enable them to strengthen their end result too. Everyone else will benefit because the less time you spend sitting at a computer, the better.
I find it ironic, that the discipline and skill required to work to a high professional standard with film, actually makes you work more efficiently with digital.
The Professional:
If you're spending time sitting at a computer... you're working. The longer you work for on each image, the less you are getting paid for that image. Your choice.
The Amateur:
If you're not being paid for your work... same still applies. Some people like it though.... and that's fine too... but that's when the over cooked abortions happen. They tinker, and play, and fiddle... Fine.. if that's your M.O.... but if everything that your images rely upon to look good happen when you're sitting on your arse in front of a computer... are you a photographer, or a digital artist?
If you want to be a photographer, go and do photography... not capture a scene to work on when you get home. Pre-digital, even great photography that didn't need studio lighting or props, or make-up artists looked great straight out of the camera. Why do they suddenly need lots of post processing now? If you want to rely on your post processing techniques almost exclusively to make your shots work, then that's fine too... just have the balls to admit that photography plays a lesser role in what you do.
Some people can't be arsed learning the craft of photography... but they still want to be photographers.
There's nothing wrong with being a digital artist at all... but I bet a great many of you reading this feel insulted if you DO merely capture and then do all the work at a computer.. and then someone suggests that you are less of a photgapher. Why? What's wrong with being a digital artist?
Having a camera somewhere in the equation doesn't make it photography IMO.
I don't care about the argument, or the thread.... I just want people to ask themselves a question... and answer it honestly. I'm not even interested in your replies... just ask yourself.... "Could you do what you do if you were not allowed to post process at all... if you didn't even posses a computer?"
If the answer is no, then how much of a photographer are you in reality? Does that bother you if everyone started considering you as less of a photographer? Imagine that everyone in the world suddenly stopped calling you a photographer as a result.... would it upset you if they started calling you a digital artist? If so... if photography is so important to you, why not spend as much time as you can with that part of the process?
I don't want people to misunderstand me either. I love digital. I shoot almost exclusively digital and have for years. I'm not some regressive analogue warrior with his head in the sand.
Some of my work is really, really heavily post processed too.. and every now and then, someone will say, "Is this good photography?". I answer usually with, "I don't give a crap.. it's a great image". The fact that the image may have made people think I was less of a photographer doesn't concern me at all. Deep down though.... I know I can nail a sheet of E6, every time, and produce work every bit as good without a digital camera or a computer. Does that make me a better photographer? Technically.. yes, it does actually. Got a problem with that? LOL Does it make me a better image maker? No... no it doesn't. Creativity does that.
So.. I've made you read all that (or maybe I haven't) and I think my final thoughts are.... who cares.
Really... who cares. I've come to the conclusion, for some.. mainly men... photography is like driving. You can't criticise their driving, or suggest they perhaps need to improve their driving. It's a macho thing.
Creativity is everything. Film, digital.... it's all a load of b****x if you can't apply creative thought and fully understand that you're communicating to people with images.
There you go... just my mind working on a page... just reflecting... make of it what you will. Either way, this thread will just carry on descending into "Yeah but you crop your images nerr ner nerrr nerrrr nerr"... so who cares. If nothing else this post will probably make someone start typing in caps.... that's always amusing.