Digital Photography Sucks – December
17, 2007
Well I guess sooner or later I had to make the obligatory rant against
digital photography. Of course that assumes using a digital camera can
actually be classified as photography. In my mind at least that’s
a debatable premise.
That aside, what really confounds me is that the primary reason people
rave about digital photography is because it’s easier. Not because
it’s better, but because it’s easier. In fact, digital photographers
seem to spend an inordinate amount of time arguing that the quality of
digital photography is nearly as good as film. Not better mind you, just
nearly as good. And their fondest hope is that one day digital photography
will actually be better than film.
But think about that for a minute. What does it say about a photographer
who knowingly chooses an inferior tool simply because it’s easier?
I suppose that’s fine if you’re making homemade porn, shooting
Sally’s first birthday, or even headshots to jump start your girlfriend’s
acting career. And it’s probably okay if you’re shooting the
next print ad for Yoo-hoo and you
need a quick turnaround.
But as I was perusing the Visions
of Rock web site, something Graham Nash said in an audio interview
about digital photography struck me, and I think it fits in precisely
with what I’m trying to say. He said:
In terms of convenience, this new technology is certainly easier
for the user … and you can still do it in daylight, looking at
your kids, having a cup of tea, watching news on TV.
Really, that’s why you choose digital photography, so you can watch
news on TV while you sit on your leather couch and edit your photographs?
I mean seriously, that’s the argument you’re making in favor
of digital photography?
Excuse me, but who said it was supposed to be easy? Isn’t there
some kind of saying out there, something like nothing worthwhile is ever
easy?
Why bother with such antiquated notions as craft, and vision, and perseverance?
Really, who cares about those things when you can fire off 10,000 shots
and then fix them all with a click of a mouse? I guess it should go without
saying but I’ll say it anyway. You don’t make art playing
with your kids and drinking a cup of tea, and you don’t make art
sitting on the couch watching news on TV. Never have. Never will.
Digital photography sucks. |
