When I began photography I was a young teenager with a home darkroom with baths, a timer, some gels, a red light and an enlarger. I had a 35mm SLR and I primarily shot hand wound, bulk Tri-X film and I had a fast prime lens. That was it. There wasn't anything fancy about my gear or my darkroom. I had the essential tools required to achieve high quality prints without the aid of a computer, software or a print shop. From start to finish, I created images entirely on my own.
Capturing great images was simply about getting outside and releasing the shutter. Because the only storage medium was the film itself, each shot was more careful, more deliberate. My camera and lens were of the manual focus type, so it took time to make sure the subject was clear. Getting the right exposure required reading the light. Back then I bracketed to ensure proper exposure and not because I intended to render HDR images. The whole act of taking a picture involved more brain power, more thinking, more looking, more adjusting. I never felt the process to be cumbersome or antiquated. These very basic cameras by today's standards fueled my passion for photography and the images I took then, hold up very well today as examples of fine photography.
All of this came to mind when I was researching the Nikon D800. Its a fine camera by anyone's standards and creates medium-format quality images. When compared to the technology of even two years ago, it was impossible for anyone to have fathomed a camera of this quality being available to the serious amateur or semi-pro for less than $3000.
While camera technology has continued to evolve since day one, digital photography took a step backward before it was able to move forward. Early DSLRs were neat, but the images were a compromise. Now, I couldn't imagine going back to film for regular work. The advantages of digital are endless, however photography now for many is an exercise in spending money, rather than taking great photos.
Anyone just entering the world of photography without prior home darkroom and film experience is missing out on a lot of the art of the medium. I'm sorry for them. Though digital has opened up new areas of creativity and editing that were simply unimaginable 20 years ago, much of the empirical magic of photography is gone.
I still carry a loaded film body with me. I still occasionally pull it out and snap off a photo. About twice a year I'll fill up a roll and send it out for processing. Out of 24 or so images on a roll, I find that over three fourths are keepers that are frame worthy. Subsequently this exercise helps me improve my patience and mental focus when I'm shooting digital. I suggest you try the same. Top notch 35mm cameras of yore are available on the cheap everywhere you look. Get yourself a good piece of glass and an old film camera. Fire off a few rolls of film and compare them to your digital work. I think you'll be surprised at just how good of a photographer you are.
Capturing great images was simply about getting outside and releasing the shutter. Because the only storage medium was the film itself, each shot was more careful, more deliberate. My camera and lens were of the manual focus type, so it took time to make sure the subject was clear. Getting the right exposure required reading the light. Back then I bracketed to ensure proper exposure and not because I intended to render HDR images. The whole act of taking a picture involved more brain power, more thinking, more looking, more adjusting. I never felt the process to be cumbersome or antiquated. These very basic cameras by today's standards fueled my passion for photography and the images I took then, hold up very well today as examples of fine photography.
All of this came to mind when I was researching the Nikon D800. Its a fine camera by anyone's standards and creates medium-format quality images. When compared to the technology of even two years ago, it was impossible for anyone to have fathomed a camera of this quality being available to the serious amateur or semi-pro for less than $3000.
While camera technology has continued to evolve since day one, digital photography took a step backward before it was able to move forward. Early DSLRs were neat, but the images were a compromise. Now, I couldn't imagine going back to film for regular work. The advantages of digital are endless, however photography now for many is an exercise in spending money, rather than taking great photos.
Anyone just entering the world of photography without prior home darkroom and film experience is missing out on a lot of the art of the medium. I'm sorry for them. Though digital has opened up new areas of creativity and editing that were simply unimaginable 20 years ago, much of the empirical magic of photography is gone.
I still carry a loaded film body with me. I still occasionally pull it out and snap off a photo. About twice a year I'll fill up a roll and send it out for processing. Out of 24 or so images on a roll, I find that over three fourths are keepers that are frame worthy. Subsequently this exercise helps me improve my patience and mental focus when I'm shooting digital. I suggest you try the same. Top notch 35mm cameras of yore are available on the cheap everywhere you look. Get yourself a good piece of glass and an old film camera. Fire off a few rolls of film and compare them to your digital work. I think you'll be surprised at just how good of a photographer you are.
No comments:
Post a Comment