AAlfano
Well-known
Understood and agreed. I probably have 50 times as many shutter clicks on my DSLR as I do on both of my film cameras combined, but shooting it just isn't the same. Something about a manual camera, made out of real metal--a plastic digicam or DSLR just doesn't compare.
AgentX
Well-known
And some people are cranky old farts, even if they are good photographers. (edit: referring to Lyon, not to you...)
Again, photographers complaining about the faster speed or supposed lack of craft or authenticity in digital work are dredging up the same complaints that were lodged against photography at its inception, or against every improvement in photography that's led to the point where they, personally, feel things are right.
Imagine what professional photographers were saying when Eastman put the original Brownie on the scene. That's what we're seeing now, yet without the Brownie, small-format photographywouldn't be what it is today (or was 20 years ago...). Hell, the cultural meaning of photographs would be completely different without the Brownie.
It's fine to like using a particular process or medium. It's fantastic that people do, and I personally really like film and conventional non-digital or even historical processes, so I use them. But I don't hold myself on a higher plane because I do, and a good photographer with a digital camera can likely make better images than I can in any medium because I'm a hack.
PKR
Mentor
That's an interesting comment.
I think i might give the Lyons piece to the next kid, fresh out of art school, who knocks on my door looking for work, to read while I'm looking at "The Portfolio". I'll be interested in his/her take on Lyons point of view.
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Ranchu
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A very large proportion of film work on flickr seems to be from youngish people, judging by the people they take pictures of. I don't think it has anything to do with the bitter claptrap posted above.
PKR
Mentor
Well there was nothing above, but I was the last post.
And I agree, many of the kids I meet are very into film. The local art schools have darkrooms and very good scanners..
Many of the kids I meet have a good background in art history and photo history. Others have no interest in anyone older than they are... Some of these kids are great, others aren't..Life is full of choices. i guess I should mention that we don't shoot much film at work, occasionally, usually a personal project.
And I found your comment interesting too.
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Ranchu
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I don't mean you, man. Business demands digital, clearly, it's the AD's and clients. I'm glad I don't deal with them. This is an interesting pool... http://www.flickr.com/groups/strangeloop/pool/
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PKR
Mentor
Well, if you're talking about Lyons, It's hard to know how serious he is. I'm sure he's serious about some of the stuff in that piece. He writes a lot, and has a sense of humor. Much of his writing was in his books. He has one or more blogs and is not anti tech. But, I think he's been very successful with his art. And, doesn't see the same opportunity for some of the younger photographers. Many art dealers and museums still want silver gelatin prints. The city I do business in will no longer allow photographers (business license) to have a darkroom. It's getting harder to do what you want with photography.. either through the loss of materials (Kodachrome) or city laws.
Ranchu
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PKR
Mentor
Well, I shoot 99% of my personal stuff on film. I think we will likely have b+w film for years. Color negative film may be around for a while. i worry about the positive stock. The years may be short. I had a kid recently comment.. why would anyone shoot b+w when you can shoot color. As for digital, and this is just me, I find after using digital gear at work, it's a pain in the butt packing all the heavy zooms and batteries. I'll take a point and shoot with the film gear if I want to save a location shot or make a quick snap for email. The digital gear is just a lot of stuff to pack around.
Ranchu
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Remember though, the younger people you are talking to are a small subset of all younger people taking pictures. People take pictures for all kinds of reasons, and with digital, many think it's easy making money from it so they got all kinds of assumptions about what's what. This is how we learn, lol. I keep telling myself I have to carry smaller film cameras, I have them, but somehow I wind up with the F100 in my bag. Gearhead, I guess. Good night, PKR, I gotta sleep.
gp-ak
Member
A very irritating article from a photographer whose work I enjoy.
The minute you start labeling other peoples genuine photography as "photography" your argument becomes complete BS. He celebrates his father's use of new photo technology while denigrating other people ("idiots?", seriously?) who use new technology. I guess his polariods are legitimate documents of love but the rest of us are too stupid to create those.
Good luck on your two farms and fish camp, Danny.
The minute you start labeling other peoples genuine photography as "photography" your argument becomes complete BS. He celebrates his father's use of new photo technology while denigrating other people ("idiots?", seriously?) who use new technology. I guess his polariods are legitimate documents of love but the rest of us are too stupid to create those.
Good luck on your two farms and fish camp, Danny.