John, I was photographer for decades, 35 mm. I had multiple cameras, multiple lenses, multiple light meters, you name it, the whole nine yards. I shot film like I was drin king water, and each roll had 36 exposures (pictures).
I devoured every book about photography I could get my hands on. If I couldn’t afford to buy it, I would sit in a library or bookstore and read it.
Then came the Internet and the digital revolution. And, while I was still shooting 35 mm film, I was selling digital cameras.
What I’m saying is, I have a little bit more knowledge about photography than your average guy with a smartphone. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just that my history provides me with a much broader background and knowledge base to draw from.
Unfortunately, I’m no longer able to do any of that.
There is a genre of photography known as straight photography. It embodies sharp focus, rich detail, clarity, etc. These are the foundational elements that modern photography was built upon. And with each major improvement in photography came the ability to be a better straight photographer, i.e. better lenses, better cameras, better film, etc.
In straight photography, elements such as form, sharp focus, rich detail, high contrast, and rich tonalities are emphasized. This approach respects the medium’s technical visual language, distinguishing it from other visual arts like painting.
I am a straight photographer, or rather I was a straight photographer.
Obviously, none of us have any control over pre-production on this site, which would be things like the use of and manipulation of the camera and it’s settings, choice of lenses, taking the picture, etc. We have to settle with what these cameras spit out to us, which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is not great in most cases.
So, we’re left with post production to make corrections and improve upon what these cameras give us.
I’ve looked at all the pictures you posted, including the edited one. Now, show me the same courtesy, and examine the three photos I posted above. Then, tell me that the faces in those photos are not the same. And I’m not talking about exposure.