Some experts support the notion that for candid photography to be “authentic” you cannot use postprocessing for enhancement. Some may say that while it’s ok to use mercury during image development and spiral into insanity, the computer is the “poison” for your creativity.
This idea probably stems from the fear that the computer makes things so easy, professionals are going to be overwhelmed by amateurs. It is similar to the perpetual struggle of professional gilds against mass production. Ultimately, progress is inevitable.
Opponents of postprocessing are fundamentally misguided because the more good pictures we have, the better. Even with the edition of postprocessing, nothing can make a dull image interesting. The art of photography will always remain in the skill of the photographer.
I use very simple post processing tasks:
- Cropping and rotating
- Converting from color to B&W
- Enhancing contrast
- Sharpening
Usually this takes no more than 10 minutes. If I feel that my postprocessing is taking me too long, it’s probably a bad image in the first place. It’s better to take the time to find a better shot, than slave away behind a poor composition.
I chose this image as an example because I did nothing with it.
Related topics
Rules and myths of candid photography: Black & White or Color
Candid Street Photo 
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