Poland-based photographer Maciej Czajka put forward the question: is it okay to remove items from a street photograph? It opens the debate on how much editing is acceptable and if photographers should Photoshop street photography?

Video: Photoshop street photography?

Editing street photography

Editing street photographs is a hot topic. Ultra purists will say street photographs should be SOOC (straight out of camera) and have no editing what so ever. In general, most people are okay with light edits which include changes to color tone, exposure, clarity and sharpness.

But should you Photoshop street photography? This would include removing objects from an image, putting more focus on the main subject. In Czajka’s case, he removed some lamp posts in the background of his image, reducing the amount of distraction away from his subject. I commend his transparency about what he did, and in reality, there’s nothing wrong with using Photoshop to create an image that suits your personal tastes.

In response to Czajka’s question on Thread’s about altering images, I said, “I wouldn't because, for me, it stops being authentic. That said, it's not the end of the world if you do. Perhaps a small note when publishing saying [some] items were removed when editing this photo".

Another user, @spansofmattitude wrote, “Don’t limit yourself to rules IMO. People will try gatekeep and say there are strict rules but if you think it makes the photo better do it”.

In line with my thought process, @quedakao said, “I wouldn’t [edit it out] either because it kills the authenticity of the “street” concept…”

Is it still street photography?

One question worth asking is, if someone does Photoshop a street photograph, is it still street photography? I think it is, just a modified version of the true foundations of the craft.

For me, however, the whole romance of street photography is that it isn’t perfect. It raw, it’s messy, it’s uncontrollable. Once we start overly controlling the final frame then we are losing that romance and moving into new waters, perhaps “street-like” photography?

Overall, I believe if you're transparent about your process then you should be able to publish an image in any way you wish. Art, creativity, should never have restrictions. Because, in the long run, all they do is limit the type of work we create.

In my opinion we should remove barriers, challenge rules but always be honest -- I think that’s what’s best for everyone and the the craft we love so much.

What do you think? Should you photoshop street photography? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

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