This is an old Chestnut and I tend to first and foremost to keep away from Camera Clubs as it has been my experience to find them full of wise people who would not recognise a decent picture if it fell of a Gallery wall on thier head!!!... They protest "Oh but you used Photoshop to do this" ... and yet are perfectly happy to manipulate things in the Darkroom. And dont like the fact we dont need to mess around with chemicals anymore.. And that we can actually take a decent image with a Digital Camera!! As far as it goes I am a Purist at heart and think if it is possible in camera fair enough.. Also the use of filters etc is fine if it removes imperfections or enhances an image in a natural way... If you want to do more artlike images post in Mixed Medium.. Photography IMHO is an Art and dont see a clear distinction? Are you saying if its a Photograph it is not artistic?

Danny O'Byrne  http://www.digitalartzone.co.uk/

"All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for the inability to notice" Eliott Erwitt