Chris, I've read your 'dissertation' about manipulation with interest.
I'm not too concerned about whether or not a submission is manipulated.
Under the guise of artistic freedom, to me the decision is up to the submitter to choose for any gallery, whether it's the manipulation gallery or not.
If the viewer doesn't realize that it's a manipulation, in my opinion, the submitter deserves a compliment. Ultimately, only the final result counts for me.
You don't have to agree with me, but that is - in turn - your (artistic) freedom!
I would like to add however that this contribution is an excellent one. In that area you are a virtuoso!

I recognize this place, :) I agree with Mr. C. your a virtuoso at this type of editing. Bravo! tigs=^..^=

it does matter! in the fact of the COC period! and like i stated, people come to caedes to download and to learn, i was under that same impression once...WOW what kind of camera puts out work like that?...NONE! and they should be told so. its simple, "you add pixels(not enhance them) or take away pixels"? its been manipulated! so where do we drawn the line...thats asked frequently in this site...I just stated that! rather simple for everyone to think different or be confused on the matter...artist or not.

oh yeah, I thank you both for the compliment in my works. that means a great deal to me :) I try very hard to fool the viewers eyes :) but i will not fool there integrity, nor mine with misplacement. I just don't think people place certain pictures in the right category when they should! hey I'm not trying to act or be a moderator here. Manips are one of those biggest problems in misplacement here at Caedes! sure, some of them you cant tell a good blending job. i have many of those. some are more then obvious. i have a great deal of those.

so....
ok, one does a good job! and it looks great, tell the public what they are looking at! that's your obligation as an artist to this so called community that its suppose to be...and im sure some wont agree with me... except one problem with that? its the rules! therefore you have a moral obligation just as well. so the public deserves to know its not possible to pull that kind of pic from a card out of their camera still smoke'in red hot, double exposures of the moon are the most common. its just as impressive you done it in software just the same...that's all I'm trying to say!

as a beginner here? I was fooled all the time, especially with moon shots...and it wasn't placed in the right category what i was viewing at the time, or maybe i wouldn't have been so blindingly naive when i started to shoot my own shots. its not like your giving up your secrets...geeeze! so who here thinks i should have placed this in another category of my choice? and that would have been fair? fair to whom? me?? ... Caedes... the viewer just starting out?

the sky is mine from the "Racing Reds" I have posted.

I came
I saw
I made it awkward! lol

I get it, Chris...when I first joined the site I was 'mesmerized' by all the superb photography, not realizing that 'sometimes' there was 'extra work' done...as for what galleries to place images, I try to put them where they belong but sometimes a mod will think otherwise and move it to another one...excellent work here and already faved.

Truly understand that you are going to have do some work to an image to get it to this point. It is a matter that the camera has to deal with light issues, etc.. Good manipulation Chris.

I'm with Pat from southern Ontario - when I first come onto the site, I was totally and just a beginner at taking pictures. Even now I wouldn't be able to get results like this outstanding post. Brilliant