Digitally altered

[mdcarma]

Picture was taken after the 91 Phoenix F1 GP Jean Alesi #28 Ferrari. In parc ferme I set my Pentax P3 with a 28-70mm Kiron zoom on the top of the air intake and snapped. Couldn't look thru the viewfinder, so just lined it up and pushed the button. I hated/loved the picture. As originally taken the steering wheel was turned slightly to the left. The "Prancing Stallion" looked more like a penny pony at the 5 and dime. This picture was the reason I bought my first computer and a scanner. Couldn't think of a way to straighten the wheel non-digital. Comments? Altered photo?

[Jim Evans]

Very cool shot.   Is it altered.  Yes.    But, I don't care because the basis/meaning of the image was not changed.   You spun the wheel a bit and I think it clearly improved the image.  A little cute pony on the wheel would have looked chessy although I am not sure I would have noticed it.
The upright stallion gives it that exotic racing feel.

The only time I have a problem with a Photoshoped image is when an image is essentially created in PS of a scene or subject that never existed in reality.   And I only then have a problem with it as a "photo".  It's art.

Anyway,  very cool picture.   I would give anything to sqeeze my fat arse in that car and take it for a spin.

[head zoo keeper]

Yes, nice shot!

I have no problem with digital manipulation and if you hadn't mentioned it, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

One thing I curious about, though, are some spots on the steering wheel:



Is this part of the original picture?

[mdcarma]

Not sure what those are. Here's a very crappy scan of the original that I used for practice. I just rotated the circle till the Momo was on the bottom. Don't believe I got into the wheel section.

[Tom Hildreth]

Your reasoning for the alteration works for me, but once the spots were mentioned they seemed obvious. I think it does have something to do with your PS rotation function and the location of the center and left spoke on the steering wheel.

I would love to hear one of those babies screaming at 15,000 RPM. That's the upshifter button top right, correct?

[mdcarma]

As I slowwwly learn more about scanning I may try rescanning this shot from the negative at a higher resolution and try to expand the circle out to the center of the rim of the steering wheel. Thanks for the help!

edited to add, If I had been more observant when the shot was taken I could have straightened out the wheel before shooting.