I had some reservations about entering this shot into the POV challenge. It was my little experiment in advanced editing as well as a tribute to the success of dsidwell
My reservations come from my feelings about photographic integrity. My question to you is this: Does this shot maintain the concept of photographic integrity, or does it delve into the realm of digital art?
My problems with photographic integrity being infringed comes when something becomes digital art (edited beyond recognition or no longer resembling the original in certain key areas), but is claimed as a photograph still.
However, it doesn't sound like you did anything (other than cloning) which would seem to mess with that. It seems that it would look almost exactly the same as the orignial except for the softness and color enhancement.
The shot consists wholely of the elements that were there at the time the photo was taken. Cloning out an element that would have otherwise distracted from the photo does not destroy PI, but rather enhances it. There are purest who would disagree, such as my brother with whom I had a friendly arguement with him taking the stance that if the photo can not be held up to the original scene and compared with no differences found, then and only then could it be considered to uphold PI.
The tweaking of the colors and the focus (sharpness and blurring) are merely a means by which you brought out only that which complemented your vision of the scene.
To me it looks like a picture that was taken with a special filter attached, so I would vote by the content of the shot instead of subtracting points for too much manipulation.
Sometimes it's very easy to cross the line, but I don't see it here.
I think there is no problem at all with the treatment you've given the shot. It's lovely, and the "tweaking" you've done in no way created or detracted major elements that would, in my opinion, affect photographic integrity. I love the enchanting nature of the image. :o)
