No artist working at this intersection of analog and digital escapes critique. Some traditional darkroom purists argue that Harwin’s heavy digital manipulation (even if printed on handmade paper) disqualifies the work from being "photography." They suggest the images are simply digital collages with a photographic base.

Harwin’s response to both camps is typically succinct: "The medium is the message, but the message is emotion. If you are arguing about grain patterns, you have already missed the point."