On 9 Nov 2004, at 00:47, Bertho wrote:
With all the threads going back and forth there is one issue that has not beenBoldly forward!
discussed directly; where are photography and the profession going?
I've often wondered about video cameras reaching sufficient resolution to become useful as digital cameras. I suppose high speed shutters on SLRs will make it unncessary to use video?
I find it very useful not to think about tomorrow but to take a more drastic
step- Where will photography be 5 or 10 years from now?
Just when will we get a live preview beamed to our laptops on our SLRs (not a postview a la Nikon wt-1), it's been possible technically for ages but strangely overlooked by manufacturers
Ha, I'd be surprised, but think of the motor car after 10-15years existence, all that manual greasing, hand starter handle. Granted digital photographers still have a man waving a red flag walking in front of them, to warn of the impending arrival of civilised workflow!
Cameras will have much higher resolution, more than what is needed in most
cases, less noise, better dynamic range and they will be even smarter. Printers
will be even better than today and with stable colors. Further, color
management issues presumably will have been sorted out automatically and the
*technical* picture quality and prints will be very good, regardless who pushes
the button. Similarly, the software and hardware computer issues will be gone.
prints are over-rated, easy viewing of the image is the essential aspect
There already exist digital picture frames where pictures can be loaded into,
even remotely over the web, so grandma can enjoy the latest pictures of the
grandchildren without bothering with prints or computers.
Don't despair, it's the boring jobs that will disappear, and the creative ones that will keep us ticking along
Where will the professional photographer fit into that future? I do not have
any good answers but I believe that marketing and business skills will be
critical to be successful long term as a photographer. Of course, it is self
understood that artistic ability is required. In many ways, it looks grim
since some simple non-artistic but profitable jobs are disappearing.
My wife works for a travel agent, dispenses advice freely to the public, and they leave the shop and buy online...However there are a lot things they can do more efficiently. It can take days of surfing to find a holiday that could be booked in the shop instantly.
I have not seen any proposal that a professional photographer's organization
sponsor advertisements to promote the need for professional pictures vs.
amateur ones.
This is not just a problem for photographers, many other business are going
through drastic changes. See for example what happened to travel agents.
And they haven't really started taking pictures yet...(apart from Juergen, that is <bg>)
In the electronic manufacturing business, we daily have to fight for survival
when prices and products are compared to what is done in the Orient.
ABSOLUTELY
The one thing that will be extremely difficult to automate in the photographic
business is the artistic side, inventive displays and compositions.
Bertho Boman
-- yours Tim Andrew
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