The only "structural" modification I had to make was to remove metal cage that covers lamps themselves. Which was easily achieved by taking two screws out of side of lamp and removing glass pane that covers bulb so I didn't break it. Then I took my handy Leatherman tool which should be on every set and just clipped cage that covers glass on front of lamp.

With cage remove you've got a nice even flow of light coming from lamps. From this point you can mess around with milk crates or whatever you have handy to get height to where you need it.

Then with that achieved you can start using your home made lighting accessories, like big styrofoam square covered with gold foil which will be a topic for a future story when I'm done covering stuff with foil and shower curtains and I have more tips and tricks for sculpting light.

What about when an interior photographer like myself moves items of furniture in a house, or adds a bowl of fruit to a room to enhance image? What about when we add make up to a model before a shoot or re-arrange a wedding dress? None of these images tell story of a scene as it was when we arrived at it. All alterations were made manually to make image more pleasing.

So what is difference between doing it before shoot at scene, or after shoot in Photoshop? What is difference between pulling an obtrusive branch out of your way for that perfect landscape or simply removing it later on your PC. Why do wedding photographers carry clothes pegs to pin back dress for some formal shots? Is that cheating?

I am sure also, that when Turner or Constable made their beautiful paintings, that maybe another ship was added here, or an annoying, unwanted bush was removed there.

My whole point to this discussion is that each person who picks up and uses a camera, digital or film, has their own individual interpretation of what makes a good photograph, "Photoshopped" or not! In same regard, each individual viewer that sees these images, has their own interpretation of why they like or dislike finished product.

For me, this is what makes photography so unique and exciting, especially in this new digital era. There are so many combinations, techniques and tools we have at our disposal, that bountiful supply of different and beautiful images is endless. If it weren't for phrase "beauty is in eye of beholder", and if we all saw things in same way, world would be a very dull and boring place.

When it comes to photography, or any other art form come to that, do what makes you happy and proud of what you have achieved, however you got there!

Nick Stubbs http://www.all-things-photography.com