am i the only one that feels a didital photo isn't a REAL photo?
probably about time i wrote something….since i joined….ages ago! i recently was given a digital camera – i feel like im going over to the ‘dark side’! im a big film fan but i guess its getting a tad outdated.. even at college where i study photography we are having problems getting hold of slide film and any selection of darkroom paper. its all a bit sad really, and all because of traitors like me that give in to digital! not that there is anything wrong with digital, but am i the only one that feels a digitally reworked photo isn’t a REAL photo anymore….?
irish79
you just have to think of the digital transition as using another format, a tool if you like, but indeed a good or real photo is still all in what you see through the len’s, the princible hasn’t changed, we as humans just made it more complicated technically, digital is nesscesary to keep up with the ever increasing pace of visual art, every thing we do in society these days is visual. ask any working pro what there biggest challenge is? and i’d say 80 percent will say not having enough time.. so if the darkroom was still in use nobody would succeed to meet the demands of the 21st century.
this medium is still relatively new so master the camera, break boundries, and create to your hearts content, and you will find that the reworking will be less and less..
but don’t cloud your head will silly self righteous idea’s that your selling out to digital, that negitivity will only hinder and frustrate. embrace it!! its the photographer’s friend.
film isn’t dead, its just sleeping….
Martin Jones
Hi Lena, you’ve got some fantastic work on here and I wish you all the best for the future with your photography, you clearly have the talent for it.
I have to say that Mark is right. Working with the top of the range digital cameras we have presented photographs to other pro photographers and asked them to tell the difference between a print from neg or digital file. I’d say that in the majority of cases they cannot tell the difference. The real photograph is in the talent and the eye of the photographer. You’re still capturing and manipulating light, it’s just the storage medium that has changed. I love working with both formats and I’d never give up my darkroom, I keep it for my own personal enjoyment. What I would say is have fun with all formats, master neg before moving on to digital and then just go mad, have fun and blow people away with your work. Good luck and all the best.
Lena Prehn replied
well thank you very much and i have to say that your response is very encouraging! your’e right of course and thanks for commenting..
Martin Jones
Glad to be of some help. I think it’s important not to get wrapped up in the tool your using, just explore every format going. It’s your own eye and vision that’s important. If all you have is a camera phone or a Hasselblad it doesn’t matter, just grab it.
halnormank
Your argument reminds me of the folks back around the turn of the twentieth century when film was still trying to find its’ way. Many folks were adamant about doing ANYTHING to the negative since that would render it ‘soiled’. The argument being that only an untouched negative was really ‘true’ to the intent. Of course we’ve learned since that that is simply not true. Digital is simply a different technology leading to the same place – an original impression. In fact with the advances in digital technology the depth and breadth of control allows us to produce a much finer rendering of an original intent as a photograph. Ansel Adams himself even acknowleged same as he viewed the beginnings of the digital age. My own experience with the digital medium has made the effort far more ‘personal’ and intimate because of the aforementioned attributes and I came kicking and screaming out of the conventional darkroom and film camera.
Lena Prehn replied
huh, i never knew that! gives a whole new perspective on digital! thank you for your reply…