Current State of Photography? - DPChallenge Forums

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX-DC HSM

10/09/2007 11:16:21 PM · #1

I am currently in a college Senior Art Seminar class (as a junior) and we have a research paper due on the state of our discipline. I, of course chose photography. By state of photography, I mean:
1. What are the major arguments and/or issues going on in photography (what ideas are pushing it)?
2. What are the challenges or problems facing the photography?
3. How does the photography relate to the rest of the art world (how relevant is photography?)
4. What is the current condition of photography, both in form and in content? Or what is the stylistic craze of the time?

So Iâ��m asking the DPChallenge community what the current state of photography is? You can answer as much or as little as you want. Or not even answer the questions and add something different. And also, if possible, do you have any links to sources that I could reference about the state of photography?
Thanks.

petrakka

10/09/2007 11:21:53 PM · #2

i think it would do you well to focus on a genre of photography.

if you are want to know about photojournalism/editorial photography i would go to www.poyi.org, worldpressphoto.org, bop.nppa.org to see what kinds of photos are winning the big contests.

I can tell you one thing, wide angle and layered, complex photos, photos that would have been tossed out by AP editors years ago, are winning contests now.

Another good source is to check out the PDN 30 under 30.

And a major argument in the documentary photojournalism world is no longer strictly about still photography. It's what medium best does the story justice, and this includes still images, image/audio slideshows, and video usage now.
Photography is commentary on the current state of humanity, just as all art tends to be.

Shadowi6

Nikon D200

10/09/2007 11:27:12 PM · #3

2.

- Terrorism - Freedom to photograph has been inhibited as everyone is a suspect

- Megapixel Race Putting MP's before any other selling feature, denying the public qualtity other more important items (optics, construction, etc)

- Shelf Life, with the pace of technology each new model is designed to last approx 5 years before being obsolete

- Perceived professionalism. Uncle Joe with Big camera can do our wedding photos for no cost.

- What is a digital photograph, how much editing turns it into digital art, who says so?

Just some thoughts

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

10/09/2007 11:30:41 PM · #4

1. Major arguments:
Technicals vs Art
Technicals vs 'The Moment' (also perhaps dabbling in ultra high frame rates vs photographer's timing - see Casio's announcement to work on a camera capable of 300FPS, also climbing frame rates in DSLRs)
Digital vs Film (also size of format issue from very small to APS-C to FF to MF)

2. Challenges and problems facing Photography:
Education level of the audience (people not knowing the difference between real and fake, poor and good quality)
Inundation of product (exacerbating the above ignorance)
Increasing numbers of people willing to spend a little more to enter the field as 'photographers' but not willing to spend the time to learn 'photography'.
Increasing forms of display media (3D, Interactive Panos, Photoscapes software) which may confuse the issue for the audience and cause a retreat from issues due to being overwhelmed

3. ____ The answers here would differ for every individual. Outside of the question itself, there is little to add.

4. ...

kolasi

Nikon D300

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

10/09/2007 11:37:59 PM · #5

Originally posted by Zoomdak:

3. How does the photography relate to the rest of the art world (how relevant is photography?)

I dont have anything to say about that, except that Ive been wondering about that topic as well.
Is photography as esteemed as painted art or sculpture?
I'm not looking for the 'its up to who is viewing it' answer.
Im wondering what the art experts believe (the same people who have told us that Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh are good).
Does the Met in Ny have a photography wing?

Baxter

Nikon D500

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

10/09/2007 11:46:24 PM · #6

Just a couple of ideas-
1.major arguments - film verses digital. (also see #3)
2.problems - how does the fact, more people are buying digital cameras and printing less pictures, have or will have in the future.
3.how does it relate to art - real or photoshop
4.current condition - with almost everyone having access to a digital camera (cell phones included) - this new technology is not going to die out.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

10/10/2007 12:57:34 AM · #7

Originally posted by Zoomdak:

1. I think the film vs. digital debate is nearly over and those who are going to switch to digital have largely done so.

I think one of the biggest impacts comes from the proliferation of digital cameras and the "wannabe pros" and their impact on the "lower tier" pros.

2. One of the problems is the perception that having a camera in public makes you a terrorist/child molester/criminal etc.

3. I think the whole argument over photography being "Art or Not Art" is as senseless as asking if sculpture is art. Sure, a work by Rodin is art, but what about that shapeless blob of clay made by a 5 year old or that kitschy ceramic pig that i bought for a dollar at some garage sale. All three could be called sculpture, but are they all "Art" as well? For some reason, people still see fit to debate the point. As Paul Strand wrote, way back in the 1920's, "Whether or not the camera's results are Art is irrelevant." or Maholy-Nagy who in the '40's proclaimed it "quite unimportant whether photography produces Art or not."

Finally, I'll leave off on this point with a quote.

"Although photography generates works that can be called art - it requires subjectivity, it can lie, it gives aesthetic pleasure - photography is not, to begin with, an art form at all. Like language, it is a medium in which works of art (among other things) are made. Out of language, one can make scientific discourse, bureaucratic memoranda, love letters, grocery lists and Balzac's Paris. Out of photography, one can make passport pictures, weather photographs, pornographic pictures, X-Rays, wedding pictures and Atget's Paris."

Susan Sontag
"On Photography"

If you haven't read the book quoted above, you really should.

fotomann_forever

10/10/2007 01:40:07 AM · #8

There are a lot of arguments on modeling sites about the difference between a professional photographer, an amateur photographer and a GWC (guy with camera). A GWC is basically a models version of a sexual predator, a person that uses a camera to try to get sex or at least see models nude.

With digital photography putting professional tools in the hands of every Tom, Dick and Harry, it's a game that many (including some I know of in my area) play.

Just one issue I could think of.

kolasi

Nikon D300

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

10/10/2007 03:33:39 AM · #9

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

3. I think the whole argument over photography being "Art or Not Art" is as senseless as asking if sculpture is art. Sure, a work by Rodin is art, but what about that shapeless blob of clay made by a 5 year old or that kitschy ceramic pig that i bought for a dollar at some garage sale. All three could be called sculpture, but are they all "Art" as well? For some reason, people still see fit to debate the point. As Paul Strand wrote, way back in the 1920's, "Whether or not the camera's results are Art is irrelevant." or Maholy-Nagy who in the '40's proclaimed it "quite unimportant whether photography produces Art or not."

Finally, I'll leave off on this point with a quote.

"Although photography generates works that can be called art - it requires subjectivity, it can lie, it gives aesthetic pleasure - photography is not, to begin with, an art form at all. Like language, it is a medium in which works of art (among other things) are made. Out of language, one can make scientific discourse, bureaucratic memoranda, love letters, grocery lists and Balzac's Paris. Out of photography, one can make passport pictures, weather photographs, pornographic pictures, X-Rays, wedding pictures and Atget's Paris."

Susan Sontag
"On Photography"

If you haven't read the book quoted above, you really should.

Spazmo,
Im going to read this book, thanks for pointing it out.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

10/10/2007 03:35:43 AM · #10

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

A GWC is basically a models version of a sexual predator, a person that uses a camera to try to get sex or at least see models nude.

With digital photography putting professional tools in the hands of every Tom, Dick and Harry, it's a game that many (including some I know of in my area) play.

Trying to tell us something FFman?

10/10/2007 03:35:49 AM · #11

Great ideas, I will definitely be writing about a lot of them. Any more?

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

10/10/2007 04:37:35 AM · #12

Or what is the stylistic craze of the time?

Not a matter of style in the first place. As it has happened to Painting in the 80s, photography is now sold by the square metre. Large Format Printing = Art = Money. In public view the large format separates Pros from amateurs.

Besides that, I think "Urban architectural macrocosmos" and "Wildlife seen from a plane" are the biggest (commercially successful) things today

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

10/10/2007 10:58:42 PM · #13

bump

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/10/2007 11:56:56 PM · #14

Originally posted by Baxter:

Just a couple of ideas-
snip...

4.current condition - with almost everyone having access to a digital camera (cell phones included) - this new technology is not going to die out.

Or better yet does the sheer number of people shooting (anything and everything) digital lessen the value of all photographs as a whole.

Much like Micro Stock (35 cents a download) sites taking a bite out of Macro Stock photo sites livelyhood.

fotomann_forever

10/11/2007 03:34:54 AM · #15

Originally posted by eschelar:

Trying to tell us something FFman?

Well, like anyone else that tries to manipulate or force sex from anyone, I have absolutely no respect for them. I think it's despicable and personally if someone bragged to me about it, would punch him in the face repeatedly. So, yeah.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/06/2007 02:26:04 AM · #16

I don't know if anyone is interested, but I've posted my research paper on the State of Digital Photography online at //ecola.us/ruminations.htm (click on State of Digital Photography).

JeffryZ

Nikon D80

11/06/2007 02:41:48 AM · #17

Digital photography is booming in all directions- from people with cell phones to pros with DSLRs. It has been democratized by technology- the sorts of shots that were once mostly capable of being made by professionals and darkrooms are now availible to amateurs with computers. Subject matter is also all over the place- from snaps to documentary to "art" whatever that means to post card quality holiday pictures. The deluge of images on TV, in magazines, and the internet does make it harder for any one to stand out. Shots that could have won national awards ten or fifteen years ago now get just an honorable mention at local competitions.

Is the image dead? No. There are also many more out there trying to differentiate themselves from the rest. Yes, it is hard and they are hard to find, but they are out there. There will still be the images that make us step back and go "Wow!". The sunset shots and flower shots have always become boring after a while. But for the person who took the shot, it is new and wonderful and beautiful. And that is all that really matters.

It is harder on those who try to make money from photography- but it has always been hard. There are more photographers hoping to sell their photos, but with the internet, there is a greater demand for them as well. Those who made good money have always been few.

Tez

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/06/2007 04:14:04 AM · #18

Zoomdak, did you submit that paper to your tutors already? What feedback did they give?