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| Frozen Puddle |
Searching through these had me chuckling - and wondering how to explain myself. The reason being that the two most popular posts for readers over the last week have been one explaining why I decided to go back to digital and one from years ago spelling out why I resented digital so much. I never claimed to be consistent!
If you haven’t read the old post then here it is:
https://onlinedarkroom.blogspot.com/2014/02/why-i-resent-digital-imaging.html?m=1
It’s all a bit embarrassing to be honest but people and circumstances change. It’s been an interesting journey over the last couple of years but I can’t see me doing another volte face. I’ve more or less fully embraced the digital life - even down to a new iPhone.
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| Sports Car Boot Lid |
My photography pal, Phil Rogers, is worried I might turn into “just an iPhone photographer” but that’s not going to happen. The great thing about the iPhone is that it’s always in my pocket. But the image quality can’t match that of the D700 so it fulfils a different role. All the pics on this post were shot on either my new iPhone 16 or my old 7.
I’ve got a wee project on the go involving printing iPhone pics at about 5”x5” on A5 art paper. They’ll enlarge much bigger than that but using the iPhone as a “snapshot” camera makes sense to me. I've printed the MG boot lid pic and the frozen puddle at the top and they are completely satisfying and as nice as anything I produced in the darkroom.
In fact, I've just looked them out and snapped them sitting on my keyboard. Here they are:
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| iPhone Prints |
I think I'll be more than happy in future snapping away with my iPhone if a good subject pops up and I don't have my camera with me. It used to be that I'd use the iPhone as a visual diary to remind myself to go back and shoot the scene on a proper camera but there will be no more of that.
So, yes, I believe I'll be sticking with digital (and with a little bit of film thrown in from time-to-time) from now on and wave bye-bye to these awkward schadenfreude moments of change with me on the receiving end.
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| Last Year’s Growth |
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| Geese |
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| Air BnB Bathroom |
I had not seen either that old post or the RFF shitfight. Frankly I enjoyed both but then I have my monikor on RFF of 'Trix4ever', yet these days I use 90% digital and 10% Delta 400 as I don't like the current Tri-x. Yes staying constant is hard and as I mentioned to you recently I often feel that like Michael Kenna I might have been better off sticking to the same cameras and process forever. But we're not all made like that, are we?
ReplyDeleteI suppose some would make the same argument against you that you used against Ralph Gibson, but frankly life's too short, I reckon we should all just do what we enjoy as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.
I'm certainly enjoying your recent posts, and going back through some of your older posts too, but I won't hold them against you!
All the best, Mark
I just tried to read that entire RFF thread, frankly it just gets ridiculous. Not your fault. I had no idea you were on RFF, it's the only forum I actively use. Your gallery is seriously impressive, there are some beautiful photos on there. And I really could not care what process you used to create such work.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Mark
ReplyDeleteHi Mark. It’s fair to say I feel pretty sheepish about the Ralph Gibson post but what can I do other than hold up a hand in acknowledgement. I still love Ralph’s pictures and I’m not going to lose too much sleep over it as he’s had a great life and deserves everything he’s got from it.
I’m pretty clear in my mind that I used film for so long largely out of an obsession with the cameras. Then I realised a few years ago that there wasn’t another film camera I had any interest in owning - which was a first for me! Since then, I’ve recognised my collecting/fondling for what it was and put all that stuff behind me. I wish I’d figured that out 30 years ago as I’d have taken better photographs over these decades. My digital photographs have always been better than my film ones.
It’s only the image that interests me now and I couldn’t care less what camera I use to get it - even if it’s just an iphone. I’ve no hankering for new digital equipment and take 90% of my pics nowadays with the D700 and the 85mm and 35mm AF Nikkor lenses.
Thanks for the nice words re my RFF gallery. I always preferred that forum over all the others for some reason.
Bruce - I have dipped in and out of your blogging career all the way back to your Pentax Photography blog! and I agree that you seemed to make more “striking” photographs with digital. I have enjoyed your film photos as well but from my POV I think they are “gentler” photographs. I love your iPhone photos! You should definitely go with what gives YOU the best results.
ReplyDeleteI got caught up in the gear thing as well but with digital cameras and mainly Fujis. Tbh the truth was that it was a substitute for ideas. I had no ideas about what to photograph but I always got a kick when I bought a new camera. Some photographers have ideas and plans for the future and some like buying cameras instead. Sadly I’m one of those but at least I am no longer spending money I haven’t got on the latest Fuji that won’t make me a better photographer!
At the end of the day, I suppose we all have to decide where we are with our photography. Is it a hobby, a camera collecting/using pursuit, a technical exercise centred on the process and printing, or whatever. There’s nothing right or wrong with any of it provided you enjoy it and it’s satisfying.
DeleteFunny you should speak about Fujis because the only thing missing from the D700 that I could make good use of is a tilting rear screen so that I could do more “low level” shooting and the Fuji X-T2 seemed to fit the bill.
Does this mean you're going to get rid of your film cameras though?
ReplyDelete