Beyond One Exposure

Focus Group Description

Photography has always involved choices, and those choices shape what people believe. So this focus group opens a clear discussion around one question: what does manipulation really mean today? We will track how manipulation has evolved, from darkroom experiments and in camera multiple exposure through to digital editing and AI generated imagery. Along the way, we will ask a harder follow up: is every photograph already a form of manipulation?

Next, we will look at intention. When does editing deepen emotion and help a story land, and when does it start to distort truth? We will also talk about honesty and context, because the same technique can feel responsible in one project and misleading in another. The goal is not to set rules. Instead, the group will compare perspectives, test boundaries, and clarify personal ethics. Participants should bring questions, strong opinions, and curiosity.

About the Mentor

Christoffer Relander is a Finnish fine art photographer from the Åland Islands. His work explores nature, memory, and identity through surreal and conceptual imagery. For more than a decade, he has worked with in camera multiple exposure and often combines it with digital manipulation to extend visual storytelling. His projects include We Are Nature, Doubled Days, and Jarred & Displaced, and his work has been shown internationally and featured by clients such as Adobe, Nikon, and Greenpeace.

Format
This is a 40 minute interactive roundtable discussion. The mentor will introduce key ideas with a selection of images. Then the session will move into participant led conversation, debate, and shared reflection.