The longer I take photos, the more I see the processed photo. That is, it is now difficult to hide from me the post-processed image. This can be seen in the distorted color, elongated shadows, harshly muted lights.
Now I process the picture until the reality begins to distort. After all, even when the lights are dimmed, contours are formed around dark or contrasting areas.
A photo taken immediately in jpeg is also immediately visible not only by colors, but by micro-contrast.
Photography in its global sense is a very interesting thing in terms of self-knowledge.
A photographer at the very beginning of his path for some reason exalts himself above everyone else, and then, as he penetrates deeper into the photographic business, he gradually comes to the conclusion that all this does not make any sense.
The art of photography ceases to be such, and any photograph becomes impersonal. The goal also changes.
At first it seems that you are doing a great thing, but you cannot answer the elementary question "Why?".
And then you find the answer to this question, but its importance is minimal, and the meaning is banal.
Photography is a meeting with the unconscious or with the soul.
Except for you, no one else needs it.
And if someone in your pictures saw something close to him, then good. If not, then okay.
So if some photographer says that he is doing something important and meaningful, then he is still somewhere at the beginning of his journey.
He may even have good pictures, but this will not be a reflection of his soul.
It will be the result of good work of the mind.