A science magazine explained some years ago how the Pillars don't actually look like they do in the picture. The several different methods of taking the pictures are merged into one and the chemical elements are given colors by the editor's/scientists' decision. As an example there most common elements could be colored red, blue and yellow. With these edits to the material received from the cameras, the end product looks like someone took a picture with their cell phone camera. You just might not see it in the space yourself if you were there.