The camera never lies, as the old saying goes, however it appears more and more apparent that a newer consensus is that no camera can ever be trusted. Whether via deliberate optical illusions, mild touch-ups, or complete fabrication from start to finish, the era of digital manipulation has meant it’s never been easier to get more bang for your flash whatever your skill, budget or ethics.
In response to recent controversies about digital photography, National Geographic have published a thorough defence of their practices, outlining the guidelines and rules by which they ensure the impressive works they feature are true representations of the world they seek to portray.
“We work with the most admired photographers in the world, but just like we require our writers to provide their notes, we require photographers on assignment to submit raw files of their images, which contain pixel information straight from the digital camera’s sensor”.
If nothing else, their lengthy defence proves that a picture really can be worth a thousand words.
