“What are the limits of hand work that are legitimate in photography? I
don’t like to use the word faking, but most people would so describe it.
I mean, for instance, putting in skies, blocking out obtrusive
backgrounds, sunning down high lights, retouching negatives, printing
through prepared masks that entirely alter the negative, and pencil or air
brush work on prints?”
“I do not have any objection to anybody using any methods that he pleases
providing that the result is convincing; and I believe that practically
every one of these means has been used successfully, in making pictures.
On the other hand, some of the best and probably more good pictures have
been produced by not using any of them—that is, by making the picture
straight.”