What is the future for Photography?
With the ability to produce high-impact vivid images no longer confined to the Photoshop pros with top-spec PCs, these images now creatable using Instagram at the tap of a screen, and distributed globally in seconds, are our audiences at risk of being saturated? When the cameras eventually are doing it all for us, what is left? Our children are less impressed with Ansell Adams' work than we were, because now everything looks like that anyway (or can do). Will reverse editing become a new skill to make a photo look like it was when we were there - and people will marvel at the skills we used to achieve it?
Where do we go from here?
Simon
Where do we go from here?
Simon
If you take away the need for skilled technologists to produce great pictures then more and more you differentiate yourself with the 'art' of photography - getting the light right, choosing the composition/position/angle, capturing the exact moment or facilitating that amazing expression from the subject.
Or you can just take photos for the fun of it alone and to capture 'your' own memories.
Or perhaps in the future images will be created from our own minds imagination of what was there at the scene coupled with data banks of reality, infinite zoom might also be possible too in such situations.
Or you can just take photos for the fun of it alone and to capture 'your' own memories.
Or perhaps in the future images will be created from our own minds imagination of what was there at the scene coupled with data banks of reality, infinite zoom might also be possible too in such situations.
Yes I don't think we'll be bored, and for me photography is about interesting subjects and back stories rather than processing. But it will be interesting to see which way it goes. In life I frequently hear myself thinking "I should have seen that coming", so sometimes it's interesting to speculate.
I see your point and even now I wonder if present technology is a concern. A few years ago we might include some dodging and burning and possibly a little cloning but now the variety of tools are enormous. I recently took a few shots with the ISO higher than I intended, no problem for Topaz Denoise AI. One or two shots were not quite sharp enough (probably some motion blur or camera shake) but Topaz Sharpen AI fixed this. For competitions, it has to be all our own work so Topaz are not excluded but is this now down to the designer of the Topaz algorithm. Despite all of this, generally you have to be present and decide when to press the shutter, determine to exposure (even if auto) arrange the composition/model etc. So, the image will still be largely down to the skill of the photographer.
I was reading about a photographer who was photographing models in a studio in a different country by using Zoom link so perhaps the photographer does not always have to be present. Similar to using a drone just add another step so the drone uses AI to determine whether to fire the shutter. I am not going to be too concerned about all of this as I won't be around to see most of these suggested changes.
Dave
I was reading about a photographer who was photographing models in a studio in a different country by using Zoom link so perhaps the photographer does not always have to be present. Similar to using a drone just add another step so the drone uses AI to determine whether to fire the shutter. I am not going to be too concerned about all of this as I won't be around to see most of these suggested changes.
Dave
Quote:I was reading about a photographer who was photographing models in a studio in a different country by using Zoom link so perhaps the photographer does not always have to be present.
John Duder here on ePz has blogged about the remote shoots he has done under lockdown, in cooperation with models in other countries in some cases.
Two examples here:
https://www.ephotozine.com/user/dudler-11864/blog/team-players-13682
https://www.ephotozine.com/user/dudler-11864/blog/remote-shooting--part-4-13544
Quote:
John Duder here on ePz has blogged about the remote shoots he has done under lockdown, in cooperation with models in other countries in some cases.
Thanks I thought may have been on this forum or another I am on but could not remember the details. You do not have to press the button to own the commercial rights but you do for competitions.
Dave
What is the future for Photography?
same as always- more people will take pictures- most will be average, the volume of good average will go up as automation and quality of smart phones and apps improve.
few of the pictures will be great
and fewer still will be exceptional and have lasting merit- and that will be down to the talents skills and creativity of the photographer.
in the meantime the quality of polished s**t will go up and be very shiny
same as painting - we have had access to paints and drawing materials for yrs in wh smith et al, and most people are barely capable of painting their living room
same as always- more people will take pictures- most will be average, the volume of good average will go up as automation and quality of smart phones and apps improve.
few of the pictures will be great
and fewer still will be exceptional and have lasting merit- and that will be down to the talents skills and creativity of the photographer.
in the meantime the quality of polished s**t will go up and be very shiny
same as painting - we have had access to paints and drawing materials for yrs in wh smith et al, and most people are barely capable of painting their living room
I think you're right - that is how it will go. But what it does mean is that people will find it harder to spot the shiny gold from the shiny crap - I've watched my younger family members scrolling through their social media feeds - at speeds approaching the scrolling credits at the end of a film (which you can no longer read either). We asked to see our daughter's boyfriend's photos of Cuba, and he showed us about 100 in the space of two or three minutes. I think I saw Havana shoot past at one point!
As TheURL says...
Photos need to communicate, to set the imagination working, to ask questions. That's down to observation, timing, the photographer's eye. Technology helps, but it's no substitute for the ten centimetres behind the viewfinder.
But I don't want to be SHOUTED at. I want pictures that sing, or speak softly.
Years ago I remember a member here talking about looking for images that 'Blow you away'. I said that I look for images that draw me in. I suspect that that is one of the big divides on the site.
Photos need to communicate, to set the imagination working, to ask questions. That's down to observation, timing, the photographer's eye. Technology helps, but it's no substitute for the ten centimetres behind the viewfinder.
But I don't want to be SHOUTED at. I want pictures that sing, or speak softly.
Years ago I remember a member here talking about looking for images that 'Blow you away'. I said that I look for images that draw me in. I suspect that that is one of the big divides on the site.
No, that doesn't shout at me, it speaks quite comfortably. Images that SHOUT - over-processed, over-saturated, faux HDR done badly, apocalyptic purple skies...
