feeling cheap with digital?

[Big Mike]

I agree Matt, your work stands on it's own.

I also think that most people who trash digital photo editing are not darkroom buffs either. If they were, they would know how much work goes into making a good photo...after taking the shot. There are plenty of things people do in the darkroom that could be considered cheating. What's the difference between developing for more or less contrast and digitally adjusting the contrast?

 

[Big Mike]

I agree to what you say and I'm not slamming digital. I haven't shot a film since I received my digital.
Shooting with digital especially when you're an amateur is incredibly convenient. You can correct exposure mistakes straightaway. You can check that the composition is alright on your display. You can check if the subject has the right pose or if you need to change something, .... It's obvious that it makes it easier to shoot nice photographs because you can correct mistakes straightaway and get an impression of the shot right after shooting. This is absolutely great.

What I find though is that this convenience comes at a price and the price is this surprise element, Sure you still have that when you stick your memory card into the computer. But it's not nearly as exciting as when you bring a film to development and are all excited the next day on your way to the photo shop. You open your bag with the photos and you've got something physically tangible in your hand. The direct result of what you shot before.
Well maybe that's a personal opinion. What I'm saying is that's how it is for me.

The benefits of digital outweigh this though. But that's how life goes with everything new you loose nice things but also gain a lot.

I shoot film and I agree with you that there is a rush of excitement when you pick up your photos from the lab. We also have to take into account that a lot of how our prints look comes from the printing machine and the operator. That might add to the surprise but it takes a lot of the control out of our hands. With digital, there is no middle man to tamper with how our photos look. It may mean more work on our part...but most artists want to own their work from start to finish.

 

[mentos_007]

hmm you see... I don't like ps postprocessing... I think that postprocessing is a "fake photography". whenever my digi shot is not good or it lack something I go back to the place and reshoot... and I keep trying until I get what I really wanted. And that helps me not to feel "cheap"

 

[Digital Matt]

Thank you Amanda, and Mike.

I also think that most people who trash digital photo editing are not darkroom buffs either. If they were, they would know how much work goes into making a good photo...after taking the shot. There are plenty of things people do in the darkroom that could be considered cheating. What's the difference between developing for more or less contrast and digitally adjusting the contrast?

I agree. That's something I meant to mention also.

 

[ksmattfish]

i feel kind of like im being cheap or something, its like i am getting good stuff with little effort. whereas with film I would have to process and print and dodge/burn etc. i felt like i earned it.

Then put more effort into it.

Many of the features in Adobe PS that I use are based on darkroom techniques. The same reasons you would dodge and burn with a film image should be just as relevant with a digital image.

If you miss the flavor of film, then shoot a few rolls. There is no reason you can't do both.

 

[spike000]

Blow it up big and you'll realise that 6MP can't compare with 35mm - and is just nowhere near 645 or 67.
Nice and everything but take out a roll of film and the results are soooooo much more impressive.

What is cost if you can get a great shot and sell it for good money.

I use both formats - digital is great for pap work but film really sells with image libraries.


Spike

 

[rmphoto]

We also have to take into account that a lot of how our prints look comes from the printing machine and the operator. That might add to the surprise but it takes a lot of the control out of our hands.

shoot slide film... what you get is what you shot.

 

[Big Mike]

Ya...I know my rambling didn't take into account slide film but I think Thomash was talking about print film so I geared my reply toward that.

If you are really serious about getting it right in the camera...slide film is definitely the way to go.

 

[Rogue Monk]

What I find though is that this convenience comes at a price and the price is this surprise element, Sure you still have that when you stick your memory card into the computer. But it's not nearly as exciting as when you bring a film to development and are all excited the next day on your way to the photo shop. You open your bag with the photos and you've got something physically tangible in your hand. The direct result of what you shot before.
Well maybe that's a personal opinion. What I'm saying is that's how it is for me.

The benefits of digital outweigh this though. But that's how life goes with everything new you loose nice things but also gain a lot.

Go searching for Garry Winogrand . I found out about him by accident. When he died, he left behind 2500 undeveloped rolls of 36 exp. film and 6500 rolls that had been developed but not printed. That's roughly 300,000 images that he never even saw!

His theory was to leave the rolls for a year or two. Then, he was able to look at them in a more impartial light.

I've wanted to try something like this with digital. Take a few gig cards (or smaller--I have gig cards) and cycle through them--never looking at the images you've captured until you had to empty the card for use. All cards full...go to the first, empty and start again. When that one is full, empty the next and use it. Always going in a circle never checking the full images until days or weeks later.

I think that would reinstill some of the surprise you're looking for (at least I hope it does for me).

 

[danalec99]

The camera is just a tool with the means to create a photo.

Do you think that carpenters feel cheap when they first used a power saw? Do you think less of a table because the carpenter used a power saw and a power drill to make it? I don't...I might appreciate the effort if it had been completely hand made, but that does not make it a better table.

There are still carpenters using hand saws and there are still photographers using b&w film and doing their own developing. Digital is not cheating...it's just the latest tool.

:thumbup: