I may seem negative, critical or too serious about photography and the condition of photographers these days. But in many ways, photographers never had it so good. Many are not happy. Others do not understand a variety of subtleties that lay below the surface, or they gloss over blatant issues they cannot control. But for now let us acknowledge the positives.
Unlike when I bit the bullet and went totally digital back in early 2001, today there is a huge infrastructure of software and services to solve every problem and assist the photographer from the first step to the last of project completion. The internet and Google are always at the ready to solve our problems and point us in the right direction.
Photographers have virtual meetings with clients across town or across the globe. We can work remotely and still be at our desk computer. Great imagery can look even more incredible on large high definition screens. New TV’s and monitors are coming out that double and soon will triple the high definition resolution we are just starting to get used to in sizes as large as nine feet. That is 110 inches! High definition video, is known as 2K, for the nearly 2000 pixel width of the image compared with standard definition’s resolution of a mere 720pixels. Emerging higher resolution 4K is already right around the corner and 6K is close at hand.
Camera are smaller, lighter, better, faster, sharper, and shoot motion – the new term for video, as well as still photos. Remote technology has made control of unmanned cameras very easy and practical. Lighting gear is more sophisticated, light weight and less power hungry than ever before. Portable lighting which was an extremely unwieldy and bulky hassle, has in the last few years become a pleasure due to large lithium ion batteries and an abundance of high tech reliable flash circuitry from more manufacturers than ever.
LED lighting has expanded into so many worlds including both practical and creative photographic uses. These life-time lasting, nearly indestructible bulbs draw such little power, that they can run on small battery systems which were impossible with traditional tungsten or halogen light bulbs.
Rechargeable batteries in common flash light sizes have nearly doubled in capacity with some having great performance even when not used for a long time. Rapid battery chargers are available that can charge some batteries in fifteen or twenty minutes if you want to do so right at a photo shoot.
I often talk about lighting which should be the heart and soul of every image. Photographers today can better control their lights, and have them exactly where, when and how they want, due to amazing technology that pairs space age science involving radio signals, light sensors and even magnetic pulses.
For small products, photographers can buy light weight light box solutions instead of having to build heavier ones from scratch. And today’s developments include user friendly camera cases, straps and pods like never before!
Digital technology has exceeded film in image quality and detail. Images can be recorded in such low light that the eye might loses color perception, but with the right settings today’s cameras can produce a rich vibrant fully saturated brilliant color photograph or video.
Traditional photographic paper was only rated for 25 years, and that when stored in dark dry conditions. Today’s inkjet pigment printers can produce vibrant razor sharp images right in your den with an archival quality rated up to two hundred years!
The arduous work photographers needed to go through in print making, film processing and film duplication is gone. Files can be duplicated in unlimited quantities, with identical image quality and beamed around the world instantaneously.
Cataloguing and keeping track of one’s image bank has never been easier with reliable software, and storage solutions that are stable and cost effective. Instead of lugging a collection of expensive 20 inch prints around, one can tailor a presentation from thousands of images on a tiny micro SD card!
Gear has gotten smaller, lighter, cheaper, more reliable and a lot more capable.
For new photographers, information is as far or as near as their internet connection.
Smart phone apps can guide and instruct on everything from posing to lighting.
Websites give start up photographers the wisdom, insights and advice comparable to the business and marketing savvy of old timers but tailored to our times.
Photography and video is more fun, and so much easier than ever before. A few advanced amateurs always produced more interesting and meaningful imagery than some routinely programmed professionals and now their creativity can even express itself with the ubiquitous smart phone whether on vacation to a remote land, or just marveling over the everyday life on your end table.
Digital technology in addition informs us immediately that at the very minimum we have an image. From that high tech display we can also learn in what direction to adjust things to make that image better. This instantaneous feedback is akin to a proof that at best used to take hours and cost much. Perhaps nothing has more emboldened new camera holders to try their hand than the instantaneous feedback they now get from the camera’s screen.
It is an exciting, amazing science fiction type world of technology that has old prose marveling anew each month at the latest developments, while new comers take it for granted – expecting exponential advancements regularly.
Cloud storage allows world wide access to our images. Fast computers. Beautiful and lightweight portfolio presentation tools, a variety of backup storage options. Easy online learning. The fun of sharing images. Instant feedback. Wow! And on top of that there is so much infrastructure to support “photographers” now, that anyone can claim the title and with no employees or studio, produce work to please their clients.
So what could be bad? I will end this one article on a positive note.
This article appeared originally in The 5 Towns Jewish Times – http://5tjt.com/