How many of us 'manipulate' the scene before taking the shot?

I wondered about this recently. I recall seeing a photographer that likes to take some sort of animal skull with him and 'place' it in his landscape shots. I started thinking about how much I manipulate my compositions when shooting. I can think of once I added a leaf to a bench scene, as it really needed it. Then there was that golf ball shot, I stuck it in a particular position and turned the brand towards the camera. I've cleaned off paths where there were too many leaves, added backdrops to a flower shot as to remove the fence from the background, turned a champagne glass, asked a guy to hold that strawberry under the chocolate fountain, placed a shoe on the path...and it goes on and on. Now that I think about it, I 'manipulate' probably 50-60% of my images. Until I started thinking about it, I didn't realize how much I did.

A rarely add any props to a shot but I often remove things either before taking the shot or afterward during post.

I do not add or remove anything...it's a race against the wind sometimes.

sjones wrote in post #8784663
I do not add or remove anything...it's a race against the wind sometimes.

Never cloned out a piece of trash or a powerline during post?

Post processing doesn't count I was mainly asking about physical changes to the scene..props and such.

krb wrote in post #8784680
Never cloned out a piece of trash or a powerline during post?

No, although power lines and trash have been integral parts of a photo or two. I basically shoot 'street' photography, but actually, I just shoot what interests me outside. I happen to live in an urban environment, so it comes off as street. Everything is part of the setting.

Composing objects for a photo (or a painting) is actually an art within itself; one with which I've never been too comfortable.

It depends . . .

H20boy wrote in post #8784731
Post processing doesn't count I was mainly asking about physical changes to the scene..props and such.

I always prefer removing things physically before the shot but it isn't always possible. This shot was probably my worst about that:

golfecho wrote in post #8784794
It depends . . .

on what? I hate suspense.

H20boy wrote in post #8784816
on what? I hate suspense.

Are you interested in capturing real life? Don't interfere. Are you interested in "telling a story", but can't find just the right scene? Add what tells the story. Are you intending to send a massage? Capturing the news? Selling a product?

My point is it depends on what and why you are shooting. I myself try to capture "what is", since I tend to do scenic/landscapes. But I will sometimes pose shots to make a scene look interesting too.

I think your own style and "signature" will be a big part of your own answer . . .

I won't ever add things to a scenic landscape or Urban scene. I just won't. I wil occasionally remove a piece of easily removed trash or an ugly leaf in the water, but if i can't easily remove it, i will try and recompose to crop it out, or use my feet and or camera position to downplay it. I don't like to clone things out in PP. I'm not a huge fan of spending hours on one picture in photoshop.

I will move a few things around to make a nice composition for a wedding (i.e. table settings, etc.) but I even try and keep that to a few shots only.

PMCphotography wrote in post #8788148
I won't ever add things to a scenic landscape or Urban scene. I just won't. I wil occasionally remove a piece of easily removed trash or an ugly leaf in the water, but if i can't easily remove it, i will try and recompose to crop it out, or use my feet and or camera position to downplay it. I don't like to clone things out in PP. I'm not a huge fan of spending hours on one picture in photoshop.

I will move a few things around to make a nice composition for a wedding (i.e. table settings, etc.) but I even try and keep that to a few shots only.

A purist! We think alike. I won't rule it out, but I'd rather recompose, move or change camera angle too.

I once moved the moon slightly to the left and flattened out a couple of mountains, but usually I'll leave well alone.

Why did you put that leaf on the bench?

fly my pretties wrote in post #8790126
I once moved the moon slightly to the left and flattened out a couple of mountains, but usually I'll leave well alone.

Are you a god?