Originally posted by Jimfear This is an interesting question that I have been thinking about before. I absolutely think that the story behind the photo is a part in making it special. Thus photos that are harder to make tend to appeal more to me.
Take for example
this picture and
this picture. If judged only for the final image, they are both quite blurry and unspectacular in just about every way. It is only when you know that these are actual pictures of American troops landing at Omaha beach on D-day that they make an impact. And such an impact that both have become some of the most iconic pictures of the 20th century. If they had been produced in a studio two weeks ago nobody would even raise an eyebrow.
I can fully understand the "final image" viewpoint, but for me it's interesting to know if the photo is a product of photoshop or what was actually in front of the lens when you pressed the shutter. It probably boils down to personal preferences in photography and what you find interesting.
I understand the OP's frustration.
There are many aspects of appreciation of a photo. The historical moment captured (as per your examples), or even the more mundane historical records of interest. After all, photography is first of all, about capturing a moment . A pretty image, to me is a secondary aspect, and one I am becoming less fascinated with it. Silky water and HDR have become so "Calender cliche" to me now. I see them as manufactured images that have lost their natural 'spontaneity' and are common now that processing is so much a part of modern photography. Someone else equated it to 'elevator music', which is a bit harsh as there are some skillful examples aplenty.
I find myself responding subconsciously to the typical film shot of the past, as it was seldom altered from the original. A good picture on a slide really locked in what you took. Your framing, your exposure, your focus. You had to be good to make it good. (I am not addressing the ability of photographers being better or worse in any given time period, but rather what they choose to be good at).
More and more I see my own preferences shifting to freezing a moment of interest for posterity, and trying to keep that image natural. By natural, I mean that it doesn't look processed, which is a look I am rapidly becoming tired of despite some stunning work done in PP. Just not my thing.