Re: When does a Phot-O-Graph become a Phraud-O-Graph?

Per the DRHS315 website, "The first objective of the Society was to restore the 315 to its physical appearance as a road engine during the 1930s to early 1940s era". From the Friends of the C&TS website comes, "Its equipment, structures and vast landscape exist today as if frozen in the first half of the twentieth century." Both of these groups, as well as many others across the country, have spent unimaginable hours and money restoring equipment to near showroom floor condition.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit the dollar amount of my camera bag, as well as the computer, software, and backup system to process my images afterwards. I travel the country to attend photo charters; a large expense when totaling up the event ticket, airfare, rental car, hotel, gas, and food.

My approach is to make the scene in front of me as timeless as possible; even if it requires removing airplane contrails, roadside guard rails, modern day signage, logos off of clothing, stray cars or vehicles, whatever. I spend a great deal of time in Photoshop making my photographs appear as my mind's eye sees them - more hours than I care to say.

It's quite obvious that a current color photo of 315 pulling a string of freight cars on the C&TS taken with a high megapixel DSLR is not 1938. So what's the beef with digitally removing undesirable objects from a scene to make it appear more period?

Matthew