DISADVANTAGES OF BECOMING A DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER
If you have been a 'film photographer', the first
and biggest disadvantage is the cost of new cameras, at least.
If you are already computer literate, and have a good computer
with some kind of imaging software, good. But if not…well, I sorry
for you, eh! Add all that expense, too. And if you've been a medium
format photographer as I was, you're not only going to need new
cameras, but new lenses, too! With computers and imaging software,
even without printers, you have a large investment to look at.
On the up side of that startup expense is all
the money you're now going to save by not having to buy film and
pay for processing and proofs.
There is the time element that comes with a "digital
workflow". You, or someone is going to have to upload your images
to your computer to edit. Then color correct, retouch, and anything
else you want done to your images. And especially at first, it
is quite time consuming as you follow your learning curve.
In my humble opinion, these are the only aspects
of digital photography that can be called disadvantages. And then
there's the argument that "Digital has taken away business from
professional photographers".
The argument goes that it is now so easy to take
your own photographs, for whatever purpose and at such low cost,
that companies are taking their own photographs for their advertising
needs, and people are taking their own, or their friends family
photos. And that this is taking business away from professionals.
There really can be no argument against the truth
of this statement. It is easy to take pictures. And, really, it
always has been since the invention of the "instamatic camera"!
Anybody can aim and push the shutter release button. And that
will make a picture. It's been that easy with film cameras since
the 1960s. So, what's the difference now?
I don't know this for certain, but I bet that
when automatic film cameras first came out, there was a small
dip in business for a variety of pro photographers. Why? Because
it was so easy now for anybody to take a picture! And I'm equally
sure that some people who got a camera actually got good at making
photographs.
In reality, though, if you want professional quality
photography, you need to have the photography done professionally!
There's a lot more to it than point and shoot. And I believe that
eventually the novelty of 'easy' digital photography will wear
off, and the more educated and critical people will take their
photography jobs to professionals.
About the author: Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial
photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional
Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web address is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com.
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