Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/09/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Sorry to disagree completely... Thanks to digital technology, I am able to look at incredibly moving pictures made by a doctor in Arizona... Thanks to digital technology, I can see places I would never see otherwise... Thanks to digital technology, I can share my own work with a worldwide audience... and so on. Yes, conditions for professional photographers have changed. As they have for auto workers, for college professors, for just about anyone who works for a living. But I sure would not want to go back 20 years. Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu http://www.nathanfoto.com Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog On Sep 17, 2008, at 7:26 PM, Steve Barbour wrote: > from another (computer) list... > > relevant, a very good summary I think, but many here have heard it, > have lived it, and many have to deal with it now... > > Steve > > ************** >> Well Shawn, >> >> I beg to differ. Life is not as simple as people wish it to be, I'm >> afraid.... >> >> Without beating my own drum, I would say that I'm probably in a >> better position to comment on this than many, having been a working >> professional photographer for 22 years now... >> >> I've lived and worked through the demise of film and the advent of >> digital, and I can honestly say with my hand on my heart that I >> never used to waste so much 'down-time' as I do now having to keep >> abreast and paying for technology that at the end of the day does >> the same thing that it did 22 years ago...that is make photographs. >> >> OH - I can now wizz them across the planet in zilch time. Big Deal. >> That doesn't help my bottom line. It just adds more stress to my >> work day. Clients do not want to pay for this. They expect it in >> with the package these days....They want me not only to drive to >> the location (300 mile trip) shoot the photos, but also develop >> them and "ping" them over to the US or wherever before I go to bed. >> Its totally pants. When I shoot, I simply don't sleep...which makes >> me ill....which creates more stress blah de blah...But I digress... >> >> When I started professional photography in 1986 I saved my money >> and invested in a medium format system that served me well for many >> years - I still have it and it still works now and takes beautiful >> photographs. Clients used to be happy to pay for the film and >> processing. Job Done. >> >> I also have a Nikon D3 (and had D2x and D100 and .....get the >> picture - pardon the pun) and with each camera purchase comes a >> raft of disappointments as the latest camera body doesn't work well >> with last years lens...Take for example the D3...Nikons current >> flagship model...It doesn't even work properly with the current >> 70-200 f2.8 VR lens - Yes, I grant you it works sort of...as long >> as you are prepared to live with massive vingretting...the whole >> digitisation of the industry is quite shocking. So when Photokina >> is launched next week (yet another commercial merry-go-round), I'll >> be having to keep an eye out to replace another $2,500 lens....The >> one I'm replacing is only 2 years old !! >> >> And no Shawn...this didn't use to happen with film. I know. Because >> I remember. You bought a Hasslebald lens...it would last decades. >> >> The reality for photographers is that we are having to waste all >> our time and effort "learning" new ways to make the same wheel, >> rather than creating challenging and creative imagrey. Digital >> Technology has been a complete disaster for independant >> photography, as sole traders like myself simply do not have enough >> hours in the day to do and learn all the technology. >> >> But somehow we have to. But don't tell me its "always been like >> this" Because that's simply an inaccurate statement. It has never >> been like this before ! Technology is simply undermining and >> blocking true creativity and real life observation skills. And no >> amount of pixel counting and special effects in Photoshop will >> change this, or make the person using the computer a better >> photographer. >> >> I would also add that in my experience Computer Technology has >> undermined what photography is about..people look at my images >> these days and "assume" they were done in Photoshop ! Even the >> documentary images - this destroys the very essense of what I stand >> for. >> >> Because of Technology - Photography is no longer 'trusted' to >> represent anything more than a glint in someones eye, and has been >> ruthlessly commodotised. I've even had "serious" discussions with >> clients telling me I should charge for my photos by the MB - and >> not by any aesthetic principle... >> >> Its all very insulting to be honest... >> >> Best wishes, >> David >> >> >> David Townend Photography >> >> http://www.davidtownend.com >> >> >> >> >> On 17 Sep 2008, at 16:27, Shawn King wrote: >> >>> >>> Photographers (and others) have *always* gone through this, >>> computers or >>> not, digital or not. >>> >>> The technology of almost everything moves forward those who rely >>> on that >>> technology for whatever reasons move forward with it - or they get >>> left >>> behind. >>> -- >>> Shawn King >>> Host/Executive Producer >>> Your Mac Life >>> http://www.yourmaclifeshow.com >>> >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information