Nov
26
joe_infantry asked:
Digital photography is fine for family snapshots, news hounds, and fashion photographers, but for true art please give us a break already. Every digital or even high end digital print I see looks like complete rubbish and I visit many real galleries. You will not see me forking over money for an object of art that was autocalibrated and output by a machine, zero intrinsic value. If I wanted a poster I’d go to posters.com. Give me a traditional hand made 12×20inch platinum contact print any day. The day epson, sony, and panasonic stop telling us to buy their still video cameras, printers, inks, and papers will be a great day indeed. The day people quit believing all of this hype will also be a great day. Just look at Outdoor Photographer Magazine.. every shot in the magazine is shot on film since film is superior, yet the entire magazine is chock full of digital ads and articles.. that should tell you something. Don’t believe this ridiculous hype, keep it real.
Digital photography is fine for family snapshots, news hounds, and fashion photographers, but for true art please give us a break already. Every digital or even high end digital print I see looks like complete rubbish and I visit many real galleries. You will not see me forking over money for an object of art that was autocalibrated and output by a machine, zero intrinsic value. If I wanted a poster I’d go to posters.com. Give me a traditional hand made 12×20inch platinum contact print any day. The day epson, sony, and panasonic stop telling us to buy their still video cameras, printers, inks, and papers will be a great day indeed. The day people quit believing all of this hype will also be a great day. Just look at Outdoor Photographer Magazine.. every shot in the magazine is shot on film since film is superior, yet the entire magazine is chock full of digital ads and articles.. that should tell you something. Don’t believe this ridiculous hype, keep it real.
21 years, 7 months, 23 days, 18 hours and 21 minutes. Ignoring the seconds of course.
Digital cameras are improving all the time, so I guess the hype will continue as long as they improve.
And who knows, they might improve to surpass even your standards.
Film cameras are machines too.
film records a scene, digital tells you what it thinks that scene looked like. Digital is cold, lifeless and managed by a machine. In other words a facsimile which many art photographers find completely unappealing. Large format and ultra large format films can push 4,000+ megapixels of resolution while the best high end digitals can do what 39megapixels? I agree the photo community is forced to believe digital is the newest greatest thing out there and you either go digital or are left behind. They happily accept your 1,000’s of dollars for instant obsolescence too. Digital sensors are already starting to hit a wall. Like the guy said above have a look at a traditional 12×20inch contact print and you’ll never look at digital the same again. Hell I’ve seen glass plate colodion images from the 1800’s that blow away anything I’ve seen today.
Kodak assounced they have discontinued thier BW paper. Illford (the largest BW paper manufacturer) is bankrupted. Enjoy the Digital revolution, not hype, for some time. I agree with you on many points, but times are changing in the photography world. the digital camera has become an easier access for more people, more potential artist. it’s fast growing art that is increaslingly gaining acceptance in the art world. having more access means better art. Just like what the poloraid did 50+ years ago. just like 35mm. Cameras changed many times in its short existance (compared to the canvas and paintbrush). Digital photography is here to stay. Outdoor Photographer has digital prints too.
Here’s a list of new photographers by Getty Images. Some probably use film still, but most are digitial, which are outstanding works of art.
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Ilford is not bankrupt whatsoever, they have restructured into a strong traditionalist market:
Most fine art film and paper manufacturers are consolidationg and doing very well in a specialized art market. Think film is dead check out this community here: is growing larger by the hour. Film is here to stay, not like it was before but in a niche market for those who find no enjoyment in digital imaging. Some photographers will always prefer the handcrafted image. They do what the love so I say good on them for not caving to market forces. And Kodak has Perez now, a total digivangelist who is hell bent on turning Kodak into another HP, so no wonder he is canning papers. They still make a heap of films and chems..
First of all, I have a Fuji S3 Pro digital camera and it shoots just like a film camera. It has a shutter just like a film camera. It has manual settings just live a film camera. the BENEFITS are that the picture is there and if I messed up I know. YOU DON’T. And as far as art goes, if you edit your negatives its the same as doing it in photoshop. Digital is something new and you have to invest in it. some people just don’t have the money. That’s fine. Someone needs to keep Kodak going.