After years of using social media sites like FStoppers, Flickr and 500px to share my images, I have finally taken the time (more like becoming patient enough) to implement this website. Whether anyone reads this is beside the point. I get to write whatever i want, whenever I want and as politically incorrect as I want, all under my censorship. The site enables me to showcase my images on my own terms and in my own way.
Photography has been an obsession for most of my life. For me, it was always about the print. Digital technology has changed that kind of thinking in the photographic “community” (today, it seems that everything has to have a community). Because of the speed of modern communications, we are able to capture images and, through our mobile phones, transport them to potentially millions of people worldwide. With the advent of social media, we become our own publishing houses where we display our pictures to thousands of people in a blink of an eye. Conversely, very few people make prints anymore. I have mixed emotions about that.
Digital technology enables anyone to be a photographic communicator by taking advantage of the plethora of digital outlets. On the other hand, high quality, serious photography is diluted with thousands of poor images passed off as competent craftsmanship. This is reminiscent of the development of electronic music in the 1970s and 80s which enabled individuals with no inherent musical talent or training to become prolific composers and performers. The work was substandard when compared to the skilled musicians of the past.
Before the advent of digital, one had to be serious about photography to enter the field and develop the skills to make high quality images. Now anyone who has a mobile phone can potentially produce acceptable quality work as a photographer or even as a videographer without a lot of skill.
Overall, this is a good thing, but it has reduced the quality of what was formerly professional or advanced amateur work. As an example, I had a colleague from 30, years ago who was an outstanding wedding photographer who was booked most weekends from June through September and charged high prices for his stunning work. He put many hours into making his products the best possible. Now brides get Uncle Joe who has a digital point and shoot camera to perform the service for little or no cost, and the output is “good enough”. And, the results are posted on social media, and few families even care about a wedding album which, in the past, was a treasured piece of family history.
What does all of this mean? Right!!!! things change, and I have no right to arrogantly complain about it. Nevertheless, when “want to be photographers” ask me how I am able to make my images so sharp and colorful, their eyes glaze over in boredom when I discuss raw files, post processing and color management…. Go Figure!
