February 6, 2007

• The State of Photography in the 21st Century

  I got this email from Marc’s sister-in-law today with photos from their family vacation.  Looking at them just made me realize how far photography has come in just the last 10 years.  Besides the obvious ways that the digital age has changed everything, the “point and shoot” cameras have made it really easy for the “common man” (or woman) to take incredible photos.  Granted, there are people who will never understand depth of field, or something as basic as how to frame a photo (which never ceases to amaze me).  It’s certainly harder to impress people with photographs today, and Photoshop has made it even harder.  I’ve posted some of the excellent photos from today’s email along with a few of my own, and my “witty” commentary.  I was also reminded of this classic article published in Popular Photography magazine in 1944 (a year before WWII ended).  I’ve summarized a few of the more interesting predictions below:

   

  THE COMING WORLD OF PHOTOGRAPHY In 1944 Nine Outstanding Personalities in the Field Express Their Views and Expectations of Postwar Photography WILLARD D. MORGAN, ELLOT ELISOFON, BERNICE ABBOTT, C. B. NEBLETTE, PAUL STRAND, L. MOHOLY-NAGY, H.A. SCHUMACHER, JOHN S. ROWAN, Sgt. ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN Photography spent its first hundred years slowly developing its mechanics, its lenses, cameras, emulsions, and lights. But war speeded progress will place the camera in the forefront of man’s technical devices when victory comes. To determine the new uses, new methods, new viewpoints that will give camera work its direction in the postwar period, POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY has asked a trusted photographic editor, a war correspondent, documentary photographer; teachers of photography, manufacturers, and a soldier to contribute to this symposium. Their opinions differ. Yet somehow all seem to feel that the second hundred years will see the camera put to use as never before with the amateur often leading the way. THE EDITORS

   

  • I FEEL THAT the camera finds its main importance as a recording and communicating mechanism, and I should like to see it develop until it takes its place with the pencil and the typewriter as an instrument of our everyday language.
  • It is possible to perfect the camera to the point where it will become an automatic instrument which will focus, expose and process the film by the mere push of a button. In this way we will be able to realize a medium possessing an immediacy between seeing and recording unachieved by any other art.
  • In a country which boasts itself to be the most advanced technically, I for one fail to understand why the best marvels of blessed mass production produce only cardboard box cameras.
  • Color photography will become general, largely replacing black and white.
  • The blank spaces on the map will be filled in by aerial photography. Photography will be valued more and more as a historical record.
  • [sic] in the future the technique of photography will be so simplified and so widely taught and understood that the illiterate person will be the only [sic] one who is not a photographer.
  • Wirephoto and Radiophoto networks will make it possible for everyone in the world to see pictures of news events at the same time.
  • We may see picture magazines printed in many editions and many languages.

  ---

  From: Carey

  Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 10:38 PM
  To: Jennifer

  Subject: RE: View my photos

   

  Wow!  I assume after this family vacation you’ll be starting a postcard business?  A few of my personal favorites were:

   

  

  This reminded me a lot of a similar photo of me and my cousin last year in Michigan

   

     

   

  

  What can I say?  The subject, the lighting, the ocean, and Woody too?  I dare say it’s the PERFECT photo!

   

   

  

  Paging Tyra Banks, Tyra Banks to the casting call.  Paging Tyra Banks…

   

  

  The tousled hair, the ocean backdrop, the childish pose, the downward glaze. Two words:  Baby Abercrombie!

   

  

  Another one that reminds me of a shot I took in Germany last summer:

   

  

   

  

  Lovely photo, but can you please Photoshop the slime trail?  Thanks, get back to me!

   

  

  See postcard comment above!!!

   

  In summary, you amateurs are making us “professionals” look bad!!  I guess with a subject as cute as your son, it’s impossible to take a bad picture!  I can even see how much he’s grown and changed since I saw him last in September.  I think he’s looking more like Daddy every day.  (Good news for the milkman :)  Thanks, as always for sharing.  Love ya!

  –Carey–

  • 3:05 am
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