retouched pictures time for a ban?

[kevan]

well im getting more and more fed up seeing retouched (photoshopped) pictures.
i want to know what the fish look like not a damn painting,

isnt it about time some of the koi associations banned this practise where possible?

also i find many koi retailers retouching the pics of their koi for sale on the web,
somehow they feel we are too stupid to be able to spot this, but even if were not like perhaps a newcommer surely this practise is unlawful!!

ok rant over what do you guys think?

kevan.

[Chagoi]

Kevan: Totally agree with you!!! I know of many dealers who use it everytime to sell koi period. We don't use it period...I want folks to like the koi when it arrives more than the photo. Just my opinion.

[kevan]

Hi Chagoi that is great to hear,

perhaps you should have a clear display indicating that you do not retouch the koi pictures on your site to make other dealers rethink what they are doing and to allow customers to clearly know you are honest and too be more wary when looking on the web.

also though i am talking of published pics of champions etc that we see in magazines and posters calenders etc. i want to know what these koi look like, surely the japanese publications and authorites could ban this to an extent if they really wished or are they happier looking at paintings

its not a new subject but i felt it desearved more attention,
i have included a example of the last all japan champion that someone had posted before...

kevan.

[Chagoi]

Kevan: Hard to police...folks that sell magazines and calendars want to use the best possible looking artwork. In photography "available light" used to mean existing light or existing footcandles...magazines used to rely upon those type of photographs...in the last 30 years it has been overlighted photographs shot on film...now most folks use digital...even though there are photogs out there that think film is still better....the trend is still to use photos that show every "pore". Another good example is PB magazine...they have been overlighting models for decades...it sells...so why reinvent the wheel they say...notable cause you bring up...but realistically will never happen because of the one thing...the green.

[luke frisbee]

man I hate to see that...mainly cuz of the fact that most of the people that get those magazines don't get to go to those shows, so they/we think that what we see at shows here are VERY inferior koi to the koi that win shows there.

And when we finally get to go to "The Big Show"...we walk around going..."Where's the great koi? The ones with the "White-out" white, tar black, and stop sign red?"

[Brutuscz]

...on the other hand, its hard to get good photos of something moving in water. I take lots of photos of my koi. I usually have to decrease the brightness and increase the contrast a touch with photoshop. It can really be difficult to get the lighting just right, and a flash will often make the colors look innaccurate or at least washed out. I think the touch up is ok, as long as it makes the photo reflect how the koi looks in person.

[koifishgirl]

I think it better to see what you are buying, if I bought a koi that was fixed up from a pic and then recieved the koi and it was different I would want to send the koi back and get my money back. I really dont know why anyone would want to change the color on a koi anyways, they are very pretty without being fixed up. If I did buy a koi and the pic was retouched and I got the koi and very different I would not buy koi from them again unless I saw koi in person.

Judy

[kingkong]

Here is one for you. This is a Momo sanke. Which colors are fudged if any?

[kevan]

that picture is rather lacking in detail, however please see my post below,

kevan.

[kevan]

the problem with dealers is that they will try and make an orange koi with thin hi look like a red koi with thick hi by increasing the saturation contrast etc, if done well this can be near impossible to spot, however most of the time they apply the effect to the whole pic and the bowl ends up a pinkish or purple blue...then it is easy to spot.

with the show koi pro pictures such as the all japan winner comparison, without a comparison its hard to spot but then its not about being able to spot a doctored koi pic but the fact that the koi pic should not be doctored in the first place....my reasons...

how can you learn from doctored koi pics, or make comparisons...its almost a worthless pic as regards to koi appreciation where the real colour and skin quality are concerned. if the koi has a yellow head i want to see just how yellow it is, if the hi is orange i want to see that also. in fact when doctored the fish often all look the same regarding colour, which in some ways is rather boring.

also if a breeder produces a truly outstanding koi with a pure white head and perfect hi then most people will never appreciate just how outstanding that koi is as compared to the doctored pics it looks no better than other loi in the past.

kevan.