When is a Photograph Truly “Done”?
DJI Mavic Air 3 Tele Lens, Processed in Camera Raw- Ready to print
We’ve all been there: the meticulous packing of camera gear, the careful selection of lenses, and the anticipation of chasing light. We scout locations, wait for the perfect moment, and then, click. The shutter fires, the photograph is made, and a fleeting piece of time is frozen. But is that precise moment, that initial capture, when a photograph is truly “done”? Hint, it’s not.
For many photographers, the creation process of an image is far from over when the memory card fills. The initial capture is merely the spark, the raw material, a digital or analog negative holding immense potential. The process is a creative continuum that extends well beyond the field, into the necessary and transformative stage of editing. The digital darkroom is where your vision truly takes form; here you refine the light, enhance the mood, crop for impact, and bring out the crucial details that tell your story. This stage is essential in translating what you saw with your eyes to what you felt with your heart. It is the critical step of giving emotional intent a physical, visual language that speaks clearly to others.
Edward Weston’s Darkroom
The final act of creation is the output, the moment you publish, print, or post your photograph to its audience. This is when the work moves from potential energy to a tangible reality. Is it a gallery-quality print, carefully matted and framed, ready to hang on a wall and command attention? Is it a thoughtfully placed image on a page in a book or zine, contributing to a larger narrative? Or is it meticulously prepared and uploaded to the web or a social media site, destined to connect with a global audience, spark conversation, and inspire? Once you put it out there, it’s essentially done.
A photograph isn’t merely “taken”; it’s made. It’s a process that begins with your intent as you pack your gear and culminates when it takes its final, finished form, ready to be seen, experienced, and remembered. Shared. It is done when you’ve expressed your vision to its fullest and prepared it for its intended destination, whether that’s a single discerning eye or the whole wide world.
Warning, continuing with this blog post might contain NSFW images.
A few nights ago my wife Barbara and I attended the Whitney Museum of American Art’s holiday member’s night. When we were about to leave I reached for my Fujifilm X100mkVI and then thought better of it, we’d be going to dinner at Pastis afterwards and the camera would be a lightweight burden, besides, I have my trusty Iphone 16 Pro. What is the best camera? Yea, you know the answer to that if you’ve read this far into the article.
As we walked through the galleries, past surreal camels, we came upon this scene and I pulled out the iPhone and ran to frame and make this photo. The subject was standing still, admiring the piece and my usual luck is “get in position, subject moves out of position”. But not this time. I was able to make a few photos fast zeroing on composition.
Crooked horizon, poorly cropped feet.. my first shot was off.
Made some corrections and then she began to walk away. The window for this photo was over. However, due to all those years of making bad photos I was able to capture a good photo. Later that night I sat in bed editing the image in Apple’s proprietary editing suite and adjusted to this final image.
Was it done? Not quite yet, I then uploaded to my instagram and now….
The photo is done. See more on the Suspect Photography Instagram.
-David
Suspect Photography 