In analogue days, a photographer was limited to film roll of 12, 24 or 36 shots so one was very careful about capturing the moment. Now with digital cameras cameras capable of 10fps bursts or more one has simply to squirt away and select the best expression of the moment. IMHO, it has devalued the skill necessary to become a great photographer. No award-winning iconic photographs and photographers appear to be celebrated anymore from the digital age. Or is that just me?
In the analogue days, an artist was limited to natural media and one had to be careful about the paint he laid down. Now, with computers and Photoshop, one simply has to "scribble" away with an unlimited number of editable layers, paint tools and undo functionality until the "expression" of the art piece was formed. IMHO, it has devalued the skill necessary to become a great artist. No award-winning iconic artist appear to be celebrated anymore in the digital age.
I think we can all agree that the above paragraph is preposterous in its premise. Yet, this was foretold many times by traditional artists during the 80s and 90s who refused to yield to progress offered by technology.
Software such as Photoshop and Painter have not only allowed artists far more flexibility than they could have possibly ever dreamt of with paintbrushes and pencils, it has also opened up the world of artistry to many individuals who may have otherwise shied away investing time and money into a medium that has, for so long, been seen by many as available only for a select few with talent.
Yes, greater accessibility means you'll inevitably end up with a lot more chaff than wheat. That's fine. For every hundred would-be artists like me who produce crap, there will be at least one, like yourself, who will create finely chiseled gems for everyone else to see. That one out of a hundred may never have discovered his or her hidden talent were it not for the lowered costs offered by the digital age (traditional media is very expensive).
At the end of the day, the artists who understand basic visual art principles that have developed over a millennium such as perspective, form and tone will separate themselves from the rest of the pack when they apply these time-tested skills using their Wacom tablet and Photoshop.
So too can be said of Photography.
While it's true that the absence of rolls of film means one no longer has to be as discriminating when depressing the shutter button, one still needs a foundational knowledge of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance composition, light and observation to produce stunning imagery as seen in the annuals of National Geographic.
Photographers who utilize time-tested principles in their work only stand to gain in the digital age as they are no longer encumbered by the limitations of film. For them, the sky is the limit (as their individual budgets allow).
Tools are just that, treat them as such.
It's the photographer's skill that will be valued, above all, irrespective of what the format is.
