Smartphone Photography Affecting How the world is viewed: Interesting article. What do you think? I think it is the difference between what young folks view as important versus older...

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Interesting article. What do you think? I think it is the difference between what young folks view as important versus older folks.

https://petapixel.com/2023/12/03/5-ways-smartphone-photography-is-changing-how-we-see-the-world/

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

People will trend towards what’s easy. Using a smartphone for photos is easy. Taking them is easy. Sharing them to others is easy. Making a good photograph is not easy.

srt101fan

Fstop12 wrote:

Interesting article. What do you think? I think it is the difference between what young folks view as important versus older folks.

https://petapixel.com/2023/12/03/5-ways-smartphone-photography-is-changing-how-we-see-the-world/

The author says "Before the first smartphone camera was released in 2007, cameras were used more selectively and for a narrower range of purposes. You might only see them at events like weddings and graduations, or at tourist hotspots on holidays".

It's not a generational change in interest or behavior. The younger generation is simply exploiting a device that was not available earlier. Before cell phones, picture-taking cost money; now it costs nothing and the capability is (almost) always with you.

johnny1950 Loc: Palm Coast, Florida

F Stop 12
I am an old timer and find I use the cell phone a lot more then my Sony A7 IV. One reason is it is alway with me. I try to use the same care as I do when taking a photo with the camera. I have never taken a selfie no desire. Look at a lot of the posts on this website and you will see quality shots taken with a cell camera/phone. The article brought out a lot of great points. If you have a teenager interested in photography he will take photos the same way with a camera or cell camera.
Have a great week everyone.
Johnny

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

srt101fan wrote:

The author says " i Before the first smartpho... (show quote)

"Before cell phones, picture-taking cost money" Brings back memories and using rolls of film, sending them to the lab and then tossing, sometimes all of them, in the trash. Literally throwing money away. Two things happened with this approach. 1. You learned really quick to get it right in camera or 2. You went broke and couldn't afford to buy more film. LOL

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

It is an interesting article. What’s revealing about it is it appears that younger folks are more interested in documenting something or simply capturing a moment, with little regard for composition or lighting, whereas us older folk who have been into photography for a long time prefer to consider those things from a more artistic point of view, or for a commercial aspect. Not saying there’s anything wrong the youngsters’ point of view, it’s just different from ours and reflects what’s important to them. I think one needs to be really “into” photography to consider the smartphone camera as real photographic tool that is viable and relevant. If that were not so, they wouldn’t be using an iPhone to make a full length feature movie. But it takes more experience and maturity than that of a 13 year old to realize the potential of a smartphone camera.

johnny1950 Loc: Palm Coast, Florida

Nice answer
Greg I agree, but I have seen people all ages with cameras or cell phones not care about the important parts of taking a photo. Then have seen some real younuns who could give us a run for our money they are really into it. Just depends on the individual.
Johnny

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

johnny1950 wrote:

Nice answer
Greg I agree, but I have seen people all ages with cameras or cell phones not care about the important parts of taking a photo. Then have seen some real younuns who could give us a run for our money they are really into it. Just depends on the individual.
Johnny

Roger that, Johnny. I don’t think we can hard and fast compartmentalize people. You don’t have to be young to not care about the artistic side of photography, nor can youngsters be limited in their skills and artisrtic ability. All shapes and sizes, as they say. In the end, it’s all about the individual, age not withstanding, and what their ambitions and needs are. So just take a snap or set up a shot for a serious photo. Who cares, really, so long as the photographer is satisfied with what results? I’ve taken some pretty good snaps and some pretty poor set up photos, but I do it for my own enjoyment and perhaps those around me and that’s what matters to me.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Wingpilot wrote:

It is an interesting article. What’s revealing ab... (show quote)

Pretty spot on

johnny1950 Loc: Palm Coast, Florida

Greg
Could not agree with you more. Have a great week
Johnny

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

johnny1950 wrote:

Greg
Could not agree with you more. Have a great week
Johnny

Thanks, and you too.

Celtis87

Fstop12 wrote:

Interesting article. What do you think? I think it is the difference between what young folks view as important versus older folks.

https://petapixel.com/2023/12/03/5-ways-smartphone-photography-is-changing-how-we-see-the-world/

I’m wondering if there wasn’t a similar analysis done regarding digital vs film cameras.

As a matter of fact, I remember a bit of a hue and cry around the horrors of automatic metering when I was considering the purchase of my first “real” camera, the Konica Autoreflex T.

Disruptions disrupt, I guess.

alexol

I think we forget that a relatively high percentage of the earth's population has a cellphone capable of taking photos (and thus, to the OP's point, obviously affecting how the world sees things), where as those interested in photography specifically is a tiny, tiny almost negligible percentage.

The actual number of smart phone users who are interested in producing "art" with their phones is probably quite similar to the number of camera users - top of the range cellphone can produce spectacular images and Apple made a big deal about high-quality billboards done with iPhones if anyone remembers.

We all know that cellphone can't - yet - produce good long range photos for things like BIF or motor racing, so no need to flog that particular dead horse.

On some forum somewhere, there's doubtless a conversation going on about how those full frame mirrorless people are ignorant enough to think that their tools will ever replace medium format...

Dbez1 Loc: Ford City, PA

In target shooting, they say “it’s not the gun but the nut behind the butt”. It’s the same thing with photography.