Digital technology ruined photography for me, or did people ruin it? (or both)

[rexbobcat]

And that is a fine strategy which works well for you. Good on ya!

It's not a "strategy", it's a personal satisfaction mentality. If you seek enlightenment, seek it within yourself, not others.

I understand what you're saying. Yes, technically, the bitter taste that one feels toward an activity is their own responsibility.

It's part of the "You can't always control what happens but you can control your attitude toward it" mentality.

However, and I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but the whole "look within yourself for happiness" line is so trite. It's true to an extent, but at this point it's just a dismissive cliche. It's a statement that elevates the speaker while not even attempting to empathize with the recipient.

The human ego does not exist in a vacuum. I've researched and studied enough psychology to know that a person can't simply will themselves into contentment while disregarding their social and psychological predispositions.

At least that's the way I see it. Your statements might be true, but man you sure stated them in the most dickish way possible.

 

[Buckster]

Your statements might be true, but man you sure stated them in the most dickish way possible.

Yeah, well... Ever since I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, I tend to be more direct in my approach. Some might call it blunt. Others might call it dickish. I call it simply my unambiguously honest opinion.

And I live by the values I espouse above, not just regarding photography, but about everything, including my incurable cancer. It's neither trite nor a cliche to me, regardless of your armchair psychology studies, young man. It's a positive mental attitude that I've always had throughout my 55 year experiential lifespan, not one that I work at or try to cultivate or will myself into or pretend to have but don't just for the benefit of doling out advice to strangers on the internet.

Do with that what you will. It doesn't affect me any more than millions of amateurs clicking millions of shutters at millions of landscapes, selfies and each other.

 

[rexbobcat]

Your statements might be true, but man you sure stated them in the most dickish way possible.

Yeah, well... Ever since I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, I tend to be more direct in my approach. Some might call it blunt. Others might call it dickish. I call it simply my unambiguously honest opinion.

And I live by the values I espouse above, not just regarding photography, but about everything, including my incurable cancer. It's neither trite nor a cliche to me, regardless of your armchair psychology studies, young man. It's a positive mental attitude that I've always had throughout my 55 year experiential lifespan, not one that I work at or try to cultivate or will myself into or pretend to have but don't just for the benefit of doling out advice to strangers on the internet.

Do with that what you will. It doesn't affect me any more than millions of amateurs clicking millions of shutters at millions of landscapes, selfies and each other.

The applicability of that mentality to your situation doesn't make it any less dismissive or cliche within the context of giving (rather backhanded) life advice to a stranger on the Internet whom you know nothing about.

Like I said, the advice is true, but *reiterate above points*

But I'm glad you beat cancer and have a personal philosophy that works for you.

 

[Buckster]

Your statements might be true, but man you sure stated them in the most dickish way possible.

Yeah, well... Ever since I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, I tend to be more direct in my approach. Some might call it blunt. Others might call it dickish. I call it simply my unambiguously honest opinion.

And I live by the values I espouse above, not just regarding photography, but about everything, including my incurable cancer. It's neither trite nor a cliche to me, regardless of your armchair psychology studies, young man. It's a positive mental attitude that I've always had throughout my 55 year experiential lifespan, not one that I work at or try to cultivate or will myself into or pretend to have but don't just for the benefit of doling out advice to strangers on the internet.

Do with that what you will. It doesn't affect me any more than millions of amateurs clicking millions of shutters at millions of landscapes, selfies and each other.

The applicability of that mentality to your situation doesn't make it any less dismissive or cliche within the context of giving (rather backhanded) life advice to a stranger on the Internet whom you know nothing about.

But I'm glad you beat cancer and found a personal philosophy that works for you.

I don't have to know anything about anyone to know that it's mentally unhealthy and unproductive to let something like the fact that lots of people these days take pictures "RUIN" an aspect of your life the way the OP described.

I don't even let the fact that my ongoing cancer could end my life at pretty much any time "RUIN" an aspect of my life.

And I didn't "find" a philosophy that works for me. Again, it's a positive mental attitude that I've just always had. I'm just one of those people who naturally looks on the bright side of things. I accept and simply deal with situations I can't change. I don't let others, even millions of others, "RUIN" the enjoyable aspects of my life, especially not JUST because they're doing something similar.

Letting others "RUIN" something I enjoy just because they're doing something similar makes about as much sense to me as saying I can no longer enjoy my favorite TV show because too many other people also watch it. That's neither mentally healthy nor productive, and I can neither condone it nor defend it, whether you go along with that mentality or not.

Edited to add: BTW, you don't "beat" an incurable cancer. You continue to deal with it day after day until you're dead. That's what "incurable" means. I do it with a big dopey grin on my face because I love every day that I get.

 

[rexbobcat]

Your statements might be true, but man you sure stated them in the most dickish way possible.

Yeah, well... Ever since I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, I tend to be more direct in my approach. Some might call it blunt. Others might call it dickish. I call it simply my unambiguously honest opinion.

And I live by the values I espouse above, not just regarding photography, but about everything, including my incurable cancer. It's neither trite nor a cliche to me, regardless of your armchair psychology studies, young man. It's a positive mental attitude that I've always had throughout my 55 year experiential lifespan, not one that I work at or try to cultivate or will myself into or pretend to have but don't just for the benefit of doling out advice to strangers on the internet.

Do with that what you will. It doesn't affect me any more than millions of amateurs clicking millions of shutters at millions of landscapes, selfies and each other.

The applicability of that mentality to your situation doesn't make it any less dismissive or cliche within the context of giving (rather backhanded) life advice to a stranger on the Internet whom you know nothing about.

But I'm glad you beat cancer and found a personal philosophy that works for you.

I don't have to know anything about anyone to know that it's mentally unhealthy and unproductive to let something like the fact that lots of people these days take pictures "RUIN" an aspect of your life the way the OP described.

I don't even let the fact that my ongoing cancer could end my life at pretty much any time "RUIN" an aspect of my life.

And I didn't "find" a philosophy that works for me. Again, it's a positive mental attitude that I've just always had. I'm just one of those people who naturally looks on the bright side of things. I accept and simply deal with situations I can't change. I don't let others, even millions of others, "RUIN" the enjoyable aspects of my life, especially not JUST because they're doing something similar.

Letting others "RUIN" something I enjoy just because they're doing something similar makes about as much sense to me as saying I can no longer enjoy my favorite TV show because too many other people also watch it. That's neither mentally healthy nor productive, and I can neither condone it nor defend it, whether you go along with that mentality or not.

I never said it was mentally healthy or that you should defend it.

But congrats on your natural optimism and resilience.

BTW: I'm on my phone so I quickly skimmed your post. I didn't catch the incurable part, sorry.

 

[Vince.1551]

Essays to read [emoji16]


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[Rick58]

I said in an early post that today people machine gun off 100 photos, in hopes for one keeper, shoot sloppy and fix in post. Now I'll add shoot everything and anything because the cost and time of processing are no longer in the equation. To me none of these things can be considered good things for the medium.

 

[Braineack]

I dont even try to expose properly anymore since I have so much recovery.

 

[SCraig]

I don't think there has been one single time in the 3+ years I've been on this forum that I've agreed with anything Buckster had to say. Until now. I completely agree with is comments. If one is going to allow others to dictate their enjoyment of something then they really need to reconsider their priorities. The fact that thousands of others enjoy taking crappy snapshots and sharing them on Facebook has absolutely zero bearing on whether I enjoy photography or not. If I got annoyed every time I saw what I consider to be a bad photograph I'd have abandoned this forum long ago because in my opinion there are a LOT of bad ones here.

Personally I could care less what others do. I enjoy photography for my own benefit and I won't let that enjoyment be affected by how others enjoy it. That is one of the great things about photography: Everyone can choose to enjoy it in their own way.

 

[Ilovemycam]

OP, yes. I agree more or less. but I would NEVER go back to film. Just got to take the good with the bad.

 

[jsecordphoto]

Jesus grab a tissue, dry off your tears, and go shoot some photos (don't worry about putting any thought into them though, you can fix them in Photoshop)

 

[Dagwood56]

I do agree that digital has changed the face of photography, BUT, I agree with Buckster - so what! Why let how other's do things ruin your own enjoyment in photography? That's just plain stupid!

And to Buckster: as one cancer patient to another, Right on!, for the positive attitude! You have to have a positive attitude and learn to enjoy each and every day like its your last - because it very well could be, and its not an easy thing to live with, believe me, I know.

 

[weepete]

But on the flip side photography has never been as popular as it is now. Information on photography (whither that's gear or technique) has never been more accessible or available. Digital development, along with mass market pricing means that the average person can have more control over their finished image than ever before on a device that most of us have anyway.

So from my point of view is a bit contradictory as there are probably more photographers taking a better standard of photo than ever before.

It's a bit like arguing paintings were ruined since they put paint in a tube and you don't have to source any mix your own pigment anymore.

 

[The_Traveler]

Digital has changed photography and it has made it possible for me to enjoy something I thought I had lost.
My life is pretty constricted by circumstance and the only real persistent pleasure I have is my photography and I won't let anything spoil that for me.

I agree with Buckster and SCraig - I couldn't care less about what other people do as long as their behavior doesn't spoil my enjoyment of my life.

 

[KmH]

Since it's beginning photography and pretty much everything else has been in flux.

The Industrial Revolution that started about the same time as photography caused the rate of change to increase - dramatically.

Photography isn't going away anytime soon.

It's been said that if you put enough monkeys in front of keyboards, given enough time the monkeys will eventually and randomly re-create all the works of Shakespeare.
With so many photos being made today, by accident, some will be really good or even great photos.
Want a banana?