Where does the rapid evolution of photography leave us

jtk

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I'd agree except that the evolutionary changes were seeing are more photographic (imagery) than technical. Imo.
 

Vaughn

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IMO, one can't seperate them.

Edited to add: "I do not seperate them", is a better answer.
 
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Kodachromeguy

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"rapid evolution of photography leave us"? Wow. Just go to the infamous Dpreview and read some of the comments from the "photographers" there. That will pretty much demonstrate what has happened. It's pretty horrifying, in my opinion.
 

StepheKoontz

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"rapid evolution of photography leave us"? Wow. Just go to the infamous Dpreview and read some of the comments from the "photographers" there. That will pretty much demonstrate what has happened. It's pretty horrifying, in my opinion.

What I find is there are photographers, and then there are tech nerds who only look at how well a camera can resolve tiny details in 100% crops of a brick wall, or if a RAW file underexposed 10 stops can be salvaged. I love how they are "This camera/lens DESTROYS this other camera/lens", when looking at anything approaching reasonable outputs, you can't see any difference And then they totally ignore things like how skin tones are rendered or what other aspects of the image look like.
 

Vaughn

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I'd agree except that the evolutionary changes were seeing are more photographic (imagery) than technical. Imo.
Evolving or devolving as photographic imagery (or screen display) takes on more painterly elements? or becoming something else beyond just the photographic?

Are those who are riding the technical wave and keeping up with the latest and greatest to produce meaningful work investing their time, money, and artistic energy on a media that might become the APS of the 2030s? It will be fun looking back in another decade!
 

Berkeley Mike

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Evolving or devolving as photographic imagery (or screen display) takes on more painterly elements?
It will be fun looking back in another decade!


I teach an entry-level class. Early attempts to develop digital images through adjustments in brightness, contrast, saturation....can be...uh...overstated and even cartoonish. I tend to se these as simply unfinished, a revelation that many will come to as they have more experience.
 

AgX

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We got tech nerds here too. I call a tech guy myself
And whether a digital nerd has it about pixel resolution, or a film nerd has it about skin tones does not seem a big difference to me.
 

removed account4

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We got tech nerds here too. I call a tech guy myself
And whether a digital nerd has it about pixel resolution, or a film nerd has it about skin tones does not seem a big difference to me.


LOL I know there is absolutely no difference between the two! Or the differences in grain structure between replenished 1:3 xtol and replenished stock xtol or whatever.
But that is what photography is to some folks, its eaiser to chit chat about gear and how the gear works or the latest sensor release makes skin look bad
or the latest batch of TMY2 has more pronounced grain in Diaxtol &c .. its much harder to have a conversation about emotion filled artwork &c..
Either way, in 30 years someone will be making tri gum carbon prints from a 4x8 negative made in 2019, and their cousin will be emulating that using
the latest "actions" printed on the same paper using a carbon pigment relief print emulation head and they'll still be having the same conversations about sensor rendition and grain ... and they'll each be having a blast
 
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Berkeley Mike

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We got tech nerds here too. I call a tech guy myself
And whether a digital nerd has it about pixel resolution, or a film nerd has it about skin tones does not seem a big difference to me.
Agreed; but at some point both need to be involved with the other part of the craft, move on, and press the damned button. That is where this discussion has its best traction.
 

jtk

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Nobody has pointed out the seamless relationship between "still" and "video." Pros recognized that decades ago. An art director referred me to another in 1980 when I only shot still...the guy wanted what I did (nicely lit view camera food and table top) but he asked to see my "reel".
 

Arklatexian

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Anyone who puts down the word "artisanal" for "everything" must live in a place where "all" bread is artisanal. Unfortunately I don't live in such a place. Outside of "artisanal" bread, all other bread here is just "wall-paper paste". Well not ALL other bread. There are some people who make their "own" bread which I guess could be called "artisanal". If someone calls my photographing with film and printing it in a darkroom, "artisanal", I will gladly accept the "label" for my work because I will know that I have succeeded in my endeavor.............Regards!
 

faberryman

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Perhaps, but are they creating good work along the way?
 

Vaughn

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I really don't know much about the industry. But there are still magazines, and brochures, and ads on TV and elsewhere of products, even of photos of them on-line for Macy's etc, that require pros to shoot. Has their situation changed?
 
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Photography and photographers have always depended on evolving technology. It’s up to the photographer to choose what technology to adopt. The important point for me is not get too wrapped up in it. Technology should serve the art. If not, we’re just technicians.
 

Jim Jones

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The rapid evolution of any technology has the greatest advantages in convenience and economy, not in results. My mother remembers covered wagons headed to Oklahoma. The trip took weeks instead of hours, but they got there. Some fine wet plate photographs were made by Timothy O'Sullivan, Eadward Muybridge, Carleton Watkins, and others with much inconvenience. I prefer a copy of O'Sullivan's Ancient Ruins in the Canyon de Chelle, New Mexico, 1873 to Ansel Adams' famous version captured almost 70 years later on film. Most of today's photographers would use digital cameras.
 

removed account4

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Anyone who puts down the word "artisanal" for "everything" must live in a place where "all" bread is artisanal.
maybe
in france mass produced bread out of a bread factory can't be called artisanal .. IDK 10 maybe 15 years ago a lot of bread
was being squirted out of a nozell at a bread factory and people believed they were losing part of their soul so now there is artisanal bread from a bakery .. same as it ever was...
 
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