Digital Editing in Photographs

Andreas Gursky's Rhein II

This is a Chromogenic Color Print created by Andreas Gursky. This is the largest photograph in a set of six photographs depicting the Rhein in Germany. Details such as dog-walkers and factory buildings were removed by the artist by digital editing. The reason he manipulated the photograph is:

"Paradoxically, this view of the Rhein cannot be obtained by sitting in front of it and looking out around you, a fictious construction was required to provide an accurate image of a modern river."

The image itself measures 73 in. x 143 in. and the frame is 81 in. x 151 in. It is mounted onto acrylic glass and was then placed in the frame. In 2011, the Rhein II was sold in New York $4.3 million making it the most expensive photograph ever sold.
If you have ever seen the Rhein in real life, it would be dark and gloomy because of the fact that Germany does not receive much sun-light. It would have gray clouds and it would not look as amazing as it does now. If Andreas had not edited this photograph it would have never sold for the amount of money that it did. It is an amazing piece of art and really is a one-of-a-kind item.