Quote Originally Posted by Sebastian
I tend to agree with you, however, you are blending illustration and photography together, to me they are two seperate things. Yes, many people load an image into PS and start messing with filters and effects. But how many stick with it? Or go beyond applying the same stupid filter? I'm sure not many photographers do, but the ones that do become illustrators. They become different than you and I. A photograph might be the starting point for their final vision. Can we call that photography? Not really IMO, it's illustration, but that only means it's different, not better or worse. And digital photography didn't make this possible, scanner have been around forever, as well as PS. No, instead digital photography has made it more widespread, easier to get into. Yes, the amount of garbage being posted and printed goes up, but with that so does the amount of quality images. Is it proportional? I'm sure not. Like I said, all those ideas that you didn't want to waste film on before are now photos for everyone to see. You still make the same amount of quality work, maybe even more, but the amount of trash pictures has skyrocketed. This is not in any way representative of how digital has affected the art of photography, instead it is just a physical record of all those ideas we used to discard.

Are we getting technically sterile photographs? I don't think so. I think we used to with film. Only the ones that really could afford to do it experimented enough to get those truely masterful, artistic images. The rest of us couldn't risk it, we took the "safe" route. Well-exposed, technically great images, using safe compositions. Overall, not to exciting except from the group of really excellent photogs, who could allow themselves the risky frames, just to see how they come out. I think digital has allowed many more people the freedom to experiment and learn so much faster that I think in some areas the bar is being raised. I think the ones that will truely push the envelope will be the ones that succeed with digital, the ones that stand out from the rest. I don't think it's a bad thing, just a transition period. I don't think we can really compare today's images to the ones of old. We can learn from the past, but I think the current situation is one where we will have to see what these new tools will let our new artists create.

Do you sound cynical? Maybe...but I tend to lean your way as well, I agree with what you say, I have seen too many dabblers put out garbage. I think I'm not looking hard enough for the ones that are really pushing the medium, maybe you should try looking harder as well?

The problem is, the internet is homogenizing art. Groups like ours here are wonderful, but how often do you see orignal, truely different work? And when you do, the posters tend to get few remarks, simply because it's so strange to us we just don't know how to respond. Forums such as these are basically like cliques in high school. We all dress the same, we all listen to the same music, you get the point. It becomes easy to sit inside one or two of these groups and make a statement about the world as a whole. I feel you are frustrated, and I am in many ways as well. I suggest we both search out really brilliant photographers and see what they are doing with the medium in the digital age. I think your views might change, and I hope my idealistic banter will have been worth it.

We need to start ignoring the masses and start looking for the rare gems.

Jesus, I hope any of this makes any sense, but I will post it anyway.
I guess I have a different way of expressing what I think we both share as a perception of photography. I started out trying to encourage Sean into stretching his reach into photography.

I have spent more years than I care to remeber perfecting the craft of photography, expousure, composition, darkroom work developing B&W, C41 & E6. Now I reached a point where I taught myself digital as a new comer with photographic baggage & there has to be more. That is what Sean should do, find his own style. I guess I have a touch of been there done that, & it does not feed the passion anymore, so style is more important than pleasing a photo clubs judges on the rules of photography.

By the way this post has been inspiring, thank you.