Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

I see so many highly manipulated photos these days from over-emphasized HDR to surreal images in overly saturated landscapes to layered multiple images that aren't real. Many of these photos of which I speak seem more akin to illustrated art forms than to photography. While many are visually pleasing, it seems removed from what I believe photography is. On the other hand, in our modern society would traditional photography exist? Our society wants results yesterday, never mind having to wait three days for photos to come from a lab. Yes, there were the one-hour labs in drug stores but a lot of serious photographers would not trust valued shots to one of those labs run by a minimum wage clerk. When there is so much to distract us from television with 1000 stations, wine tours, extended travel while staying in an airB&Bs, casinos, adventure destinations, sports events, etc. There just might not be enough time or interest for old-style photography. Digital photography has saved the day in that respect as people can whip out their cell phones and nail a beautiful sunrise or sunset. What is your opinion?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Savior.

People can now do in minutes what it may have taken hours in the darkroom, IF they were lucky enough to have a darkroom. The digital darkroom is so convenient and expedient.
People no longer have to take ten rolls of film on vacation, or wait (& pay) for the developing.
People can see a faulty picture immediately and retake it instead of waiting a week to get the prints back.

I'm sure there are many more reasons.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Why does it have to be either one ? Did the elimination of the hand crank bring on the demise of the automobile ? The purists in my audio forums say it is verboten to use ANY type of signal processor as the intended signal has then been altered... I think your analysis is pretty spot on and maybe a lot of areas we now routinely include under the term photography WOULD actually be better referred to as visual art... The digital age has at least introduced a lot of folks to the recording of images where with older technology they might not have. There is always going to be change and we need to embrace the best of the past with hopefully the best of which is still coming...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Because the question at hand has only two options to answer.
It doesn't say make a third or fourth option if you don't like either of these.....

As bad as being asked would you rather do A or B
and people saying C or D....

Like "I've narrowed it down to camera A or B, which one should I get?'
Get E...

As for the purists in your audio forums, isn't an amplifier a signal processor? It amplifies the minuscule electrical output of the tonearm cartridge to an audible level, usually with bass and treble controls. Sounds like a signal processor to me.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Then I would have to say NAY... The purists will always do photography and the phonecammers just might get the urge ... The " visual artists " will do what they do and we can call it whatever we identify it as...

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Savior, no doubt about it. I came from medium format film landscapes to DSLRs and Birds in Flight. Never could get over the "there goes another 6 to 8 bucks with every push of the shutter button" mind speak.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Neither eh?

Billynikon2

I confess I was one of the last embracers of digital. I remember I was walking around taking pictures with my trusty Nikon film camera and a guy came up to me and said is that a film camera. And I said, Yes. He said that digital was the way to go and why hadn't I changed. So I got a simple digital and then a better digital and eventually I got really good digitals. But I do remember, I loved film. Still like the look of a film picture. I would not mind at all if we could go back.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I do like the finesse of film prints more, but after being able to look at a shot and adjust and take another, or a burst trying to catch ocean waves not using a half of a roll, not having to wait for processing to see the results of the outing, or ...
I'll never go back to film. Even though I loved doing my own B&W processing, I'm not THAT nostalgic.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

I agree for the most part (although I believe there was a certain "romance" in doing darkroom work. I always embraced the chemical smells and the magic of seeing images emerge from blank pages), but now we are talking photography. My view of the downside is when photography is used as an element of something that is much more. To some, it is just a kind of brush or a tube of magenta oil, not an end in itself. So much of what I see represented as photography is far removed from actual photography and much more in the realm of graphic arts. There is plenty of room for both but I hate to see pure photography diminished in galleries and exhibits in favor of something that was more created in a computer program than through a camera lens.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

(See my post prior to yours.)

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Photographers were doing "multiple images that aren't real" virtually since the invention of photography, so it is part of "traditional" photography. You just see more of it with digital because it is so much easier to do with digital.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Way too complex a question for someone of my pay grade. I both take photographs and create pictures. My photographs are Post Processed because I shoot in RAW. My photographs represent what I saw not what the camera captured. My pictures represent anything I can imagine and may or may not represent reality. I certainly don't lose any sleep over the difference

srt101fan

You've posed a question about the saving or destruction of "photography". You've made references to "traditional photography", "old-style photography" and "serious photographers". Without definitions you're just stirring up a pot. But you'll have fun and so will all the posters jumping in. As User ID would say: "it's entertainment"....