Are Modern Photographers Impotent Because Of Digital Cameras?

Digital-cameras-impotent-photographers

I found this particular article over at the Phoblographer and it raised some really interesting points.

No doubt the photographers of yesteryear had it far harder than today’s “Modern Photographer”. I’m personally a gadget guy and I always love the latest and greatest technology. Shooting with film makes me tired just thinking about it. I’m sure that many of you who shot with film will have a lot to say about this.

When photography was learned on film, there was a lot of trial and error. Besides learning the three basic functions – Aperture, Exposure time, and ISO – you had to do lots of experimentation. You had to try different films to see what you liked best for certain conditions and subjects.

Without an LCD screen to preview your image, you could invest a great deal of time, money, and effort and end up with a batch of bad photos because you made a mistake.

I have tried and failed at getting some of my photographer friends to try shooting film. The fact that they can’t see the image before they press shutter scares them away. This mentality baffles me

Photography is art. Should art be “easy”? It has been a while since I have been in a photography class so things may be different now.

As a photography student when I was in school, you were given the most basic camera (usually a Pentax k1000) with 3 settings and thrown to the wolves. That’s how you learned.

If every digital camera disappeared from the face of the earth today I wonder how many photographers would turn to film and keep shooting, and how many would simply quit.

END RANT

Read the original article over at The Phoblographer

Source: The Phoblographer

66 comments

I wish I had not sold my darkroom equipment I had everything for both B&W and color..I still miss it just to mess around with but wouldn’t get rid of my DSL if I had to make a choice.

I wish I had not sold my darkroom equipment I had everything for both B&W and color..I still miss it just to mess around with but wouldn’t get rid of my DSL if I had to make a choice.

The blogger raises a good point and can relate about a bad batch of photos. However, I worked at a big box retailer when Sony Mavicas ruled the day and 640×480 resolution was the best manufacturers could throw at film. Even then, die hards complained about the technology. Hard to think that floppy drive was state of the art. Lol

The blogger raises a good point and can relate about a bad batch of photos. However, I worked at a big box retailer when Sony Mavicas ruled the day and 640×480 resolution was the best manufacturers could throw at film. Even then, die hards complained about the technology. Hard to think that floppy drive was state of the art. Lol

The best part of shooting with film, for me, was taking the shot and then being pleasantly surprised–or mildly bummed–when I opened the envelope to view my processed images. Mind you, it’s the only thing I miss.

The best part of shooting with film, for me, was taking the shot and then being pleasantly surprised–or mildly bummed–when I opened the envelope to view my processed images. Mind you, it’s the only thing I miss.

Honestly, even with a dslr people still have issues with the basics. I’m no pro, I’m still learning, but where I came from where I am and where I hope to be is all very different. You can look at photos from different photographers and tell which ones take the time to effectively learn from mistakes to grow and those that stick to poor photography. I’ve never shot film, but in my process of learning I am definitely going to give it a go. I envy those who shot film first. They had the art down Before given the simplicity of digital Cameras. I have to admit, the game has changed significantly.

Honestly, even with a dslr people still have issues with the basics. I’m no pro, I’m still learning, but where I came from where I am and where I hope to be is all very different. You can look at photos from different photographers and tell which ones take the time to effectively learn from mistakes to grow and those that stick to poor photography. I’ve never shot film, but in my process of learning I am definitely going to give it a go. I envy those who shot film first. They had the art down Before given the simplicity of digital Cameras. I have to admit, the game has changed significantly.

It’s just a new way of doing old stuff. Most of the same rules apply. Composition, good gl$#%&!@*, exposure, and lighting, lighting, LIGHTING. Even with this new technology making us “soft”, even correcting the bad lighting in a software will look like hell. We’re not “impotent”, just changed.

It’s just a new way of doing old stuff. Most of the same rules apply. Composition, good gl$#%&!@*, exposure, and lighting, lighting, LIGHTING. Even with this new technology making us “soft”, even correcting the bad lighting in a software will look like hell. We’re not “impotent”, just changed.

Raspberries…even with digital and the ability to see your image to get it right, there are many who still don’t get it right and still run a business with their bad images. I don’t have space for a dark room and If I were to use film, I wouldn’t have been able to make the images that I have.

Raspberries…even with digital and the ability to see your image to get it right, there are many who still don’t get it right and still run a business with their bad images. I don’t have space for a dark room and If I were to use film, I wouldn’t have been able to make the images that I have.

I like that you have the option to do both right now. I love film and it has its uses for certain kinds of photography. But for an event or something where you need to go quick, digital is by far superior and helpful! You could shoot film at a wedding these days but why would you? (Put yourself through the trauma?)

I like that you have the option to do both right now. I love film and it has its uses for certain kinds of photography. But for an event or something where you need to go quick, digital is by far superior and helpful! You could shoot film at a wedding these days but why would you? (Put yourself through the trauma?)

Am I missing something? Where was the harsh comment? To me a harsh comment is posting on someones work making personal attacks at them, calling that persons style stupid. When did an opinion become a harsh comment. What’s sad is i clicked it so the phishing worked. Look if your blog is food people will read it, stop with the sad attempts for clicks.

Am I missing something? Where was the harsh comment? To me a harsh comment is posting on someones work making personal attacks at them, calling that persons style stupid. When did an opinion become a harsh comment. What’s sad is i clicked it so the phishing worked. Look if your blog is food people will read it, stop with the sad attempts for clicks.

The comment isn’t “harsh”. It’s an observation. And one I agree with. But it doesn’t really matter because this is the age we live in, some of us have shot film and DSLR allows me to shoot more often. The article is also click bait. Which is also sad, but the way the world works right now.

To those that haven’t taken the bait, don’t. The author suggests that there would be fewer photographers if there weren’t DSLRs. Which may be true. But doesn’t matter since they do exist.

The comment isn’t “harsh”. It’s an observation. And one I agree with. But it doesn’t really matter because this is the age we live in, some of us have shot film and DSLR allows me to shoot more often. The article is also click bait. Which is also sad, but the way the world works right now.

To those that haven’t taken the bait, don’t. The author suggests that there would be fewer photographers if there weren’t DSLRs. Which may be true. But doesn’t matter since they do exist.

I agree.
I love shooting with my Nikon DSLR, but I cherish the days when I’m out with my Praktica SLR or indeed my Seagull TLR shooting off a roll or three.
I think having being trained with Film has made me more mindful with Digital.

I agree.
I love shooting with my Nikon DSLR, but I cherish the days when I’m out with my Praktica SLR or indeed my Seagull TLR shooting off a roll or three.
I think having being trained with Film has made me more mindful with Digital.

Just like film, you have to take your time with your digital camera. Just because it’s fancy doesn’t mean you’ll get great pictures. It’s all about how you use your equipment.

Started 40 years ago with film and moved up through early digital to the amazing cameras we have now, Pentax is current choice for me, but I still take out my old Pentax ME or Spotmatic when I fancy a trip down memory lane

Oh for the good ol’ days! I cut my teeth (starting in 1973 and my purchase of my first SLR) on film; I started out the B&W, went on to color then color slides. I took a college level photography course, read lots of magazines, and learned some great darkroom techniques (yes, I developed and printed my own B&W film; I even got to the point where I bulk loaded it!)

The day I bought my first DSLR (Nikon D40) was the day I knew that I would never go back. Learning how to change the aperture setting was difficult (yes, I read the instruction manual and I still didn’t understand it!). I love digital photography; I love shooting in RAW and working in Adobe Camera Raw and Photo Shop Elements (14).

Like I said: I will never go back.

As a professional photographer for over 37 years, my constant rant is that Digital destroyed my industry. As a studio owner in NY ( and now in FL.) photographing high end weddings and Bar Mitzvahs my crews and I were respected as professionals. We were looked upon as artists and technicians. We wore tuxedos and carried medium format cameras. We had lighting assistants and room lights as well as cases and cases of backup equipment, lenses, filters and stuff! We got 24 shots to a roll with 220 film and then the assistant handed us another “back” and we changed film. We didn’t need a screen to see the image, we knew what we were doing! We used a light meter and we understood the technical aspect of photography. The images were great and we knew we had a great job in the can before we left the job and before we saw the first proof days later. We were also paid a fair price for this expertise. Clients hired us a year in advance to make sure they got a great photographer to capture the memories at their affair. Today, you have a bunch of amateurs who know nothing other than buying a digital camera, put it on program and keep pressing the button. They dress like slobs and have no idea how to treat a client. Proper posing of a group, correct lighting, the positive attitude in which to deal with the client have seem to have disappeared. Great golf clubs do not make you a pro golfer, a great oven does not make you a chef and a great camera does not make you a photographer. When I quote thousands to photograph a job, I hear, I can get it for hundreds. Well, you can’t get a Rolls Royce for the price of a Chevy! Clients don’t want Albums. when they can make a book at Costco for $40.00 and they don’t want large prints for the wall when they can look at a picture on their iPhone. I have been shooting Digital since it started and I am a photoshop pro, but I still miss film and I very much miss what used to be a great industry. I can only hope that someday, the craft will be appreciated and respected again.

To those that called me a dinosaur and that I should adjust to the new world….. You disrespectful amateurs! In any craft, those that came before you are honored for their contributions to the art. No matter what piece of equipment is in your hands, real photography is still about posing, lighting, creation of an image, patience to wait for the right time and knowing what that time is.

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