Muscletime

[FK86]

When discussing bodybuilding photographers, I think the first names that come to mind are Artie Zeller, Chris Lund, Kevin Horton, and Per Bernal. The more recent crop are guys like Kyle Wurzel, Jason Breeze, and Daniel Repeti. I have to say, I don't like their style and this new trend of really overdoing the photoshop and touch-ups. It's such an inaccurate representation of an athlete's development. Comparing their photos to what someone actually looked like on stage is ridiculous. With all that in mind I think the best, and clearly underrated, photographer is Raymond Cassar. Check out the_muscletime_archives on instagram. I don't know enough about photography to be able to tell if some touching up has been done, but the point is that it doesn't look like it's been done. The shots look much more candid and authentic like they're the result of a good lens capturing the right angle in great lighting. If you compare Raymond's photos to anyone elses you'll see what I mean.

 

[alfresco]

I like your taste in photographers (older). The younger ones I know
nothing about so I won't comment.

Yes, over processing is a huge problem in physique photography
perhaps it is because we know what the human body looks like;
it's more about proportion, size and shape. (But, to be fair, it is a
problem anytime you see an advertisement.) It's not the over-
sharpening so much as the stretching, distorting, or morphing
that gives and unrealistic view of the person but also sets them
up for distorted, unrealistic view of the human body.

Lens (focal length), the angle of the lens, lens height relative
to the subject, lighting, etc. has an effect on a photograph.
Now add in the power of Photoshop, and you see what I mean.

There is a photograph floating around here of Ronnie in one of the
current threads. This is so clearly manipulated, and I might even
go as far as to say it is a very well executed illustration and that
it does Ronnie a huge disservice. I doubt he would improve.

And while it is rare to not be initially impressed by the current
crop of champion bodybuilders when you meet them in person,
but sometimes they do fail visually, they do not look like they
do on the internet.

I briefly looked at the_muscletime_archives and I did not see
anything that was, glaringly, obviously 'Photoshoped'.

Having said this here before, I will say it again, there are few
worse mistakes then the close-up inspection of one’s heroes.