" . . . my question is...... do you think this has happened or is happening
in photographics? The alchemy is gone.... and soon will be the day when
an explanation
of shutter speed or depth of field will be lost at any sort of retail
level."
Humm, I was talking with a friend about such things only the other day. It
seems to me that the mystery has been taken out of photography, now cameras
are so clever/affordable, well-exposed sharp images are within everyone?s
reach. When I first started working in a photography studio it was all
5/4 film, with an assistant to each photographer who disappeared into a
darkroom now and again, if you were a client visiting the studio you'd have
know idea of the process of creating professional photographs so photography
at that level almost seems like a guarded profession. But over the years
digital backs have become more affordable and practical, starting with big
£20,000 sinar digital sensors, but slowly it has started to make as much
sense to use cameras like hasselblad?s, and now DSLR?S like the D200. If a
client or non professional now was to visit the very same studios they would
more or less see cameras which can be brought at any high street photography
suppliers, used with computers and software much like they would have in the
office.
So thinking about this it seems to me that the bottom end has come out
of the industry, the very basics are achievable by the non-professional.
But as anyone on this forum knows, there is much more to photography than
the basics, the difference between getting it right and getting a shot
looking amazing (making people give up some time in there images saturated
day to look at that photo)are worlds apart and what makes the difference is
years of experience and dedication or in some lucky cases god given talent.
So it seems to me that to succeed in photography we need to get more
creative, each photographer plough there own path, make images that are so
good they leave folks baffled.
Anyways, much ramberling there, that's kind of what I have been thinking
about for a bit and has been driving where I have been going with my
photography. I guess it's just saying a photographer really needs to push
themselves, but right now with the whole world becoming photographers it
seems more important than ever...
All the best and here's to productive and fun 2007's for all.
Andrew Brooks
www.andrewbrooksphotography.com
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