It
would be an understatement saying that photography has changed over the past
decade or so. With the immense popularity of Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat,
photography has experienced a bit of a renaissance, especially when it comes to
amateur photography. Everybody is snapping photos at an incomprehensible rate,
documenting their lives on a second by second basis.
The
medium has changed, that is for sure, and people want something different out
of their pictures. While many lament the “end of photography”, some see this
evolution as a positive development.
However,
something is missing from the photos you take on your phone and have stored on
your computer, and that “something” is tangibility. Whether it is a
professional family beach portrait on Florida’s Emerald Coast or a senior
portrait, tangibility takes a photo to that next level, artistically and
emotionally.
How
many people have images stored on floppy disks and can no longer view them? Who
knows when technology will make the current storage media obsolete? Will you
remember to convert the images to the latest medium? Having a print, an actual
hard copy of the image, is forever. Hang it on a wall, put it in your wallet,
or archive it in an album. You can view it whenever you want and so can your
grandchildren 30 years from now or your great grandchildren 50 years from now. Will
your iPhone still work in 50 years?
Arabella
Watters of The Daily Northwestern longs for the day of physical photos, the
4-by-6 glossy double prints. Recently, her local CVS announced that it would no
longer be developing physical prints, disappointing the many who frequent the
chain pharmacy with their disposable cameras and memory cards. Between that and
Kodak filing for bankruptcy, print photography advocates like Watters are a bit
worried.
She
writes, “It doesn’t mean that print photos should completely disappear. I hate
the idea of that happening. Maybe I put far too much stock in nostalgia, but
there’s something to be said for the beauty of old-fashioned aesthetics
disappearing in the face of capitalistic gains.” Is the changing market leaving
“old-fashioned aesthetics” in the dust?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh743aoWkM2FXpYRIXjtfnnrGlo3fpmd18ZHMP7lNEB3_nZHcjJfNlXaERWJk9LVACjYOqG7u3khLCihVdFHBv9B_W0UrprlkiwO8UXnFzgz4PknGkc8W6aojrSAv3DZhRwKTV0sYVtjc4/s200/Shockley_Vinson-0898.jpg)
Additionally,
her love of print photography began at an early age, as her mom was always
snapping photos and hanging them up. For Watters, tangible photos provide a
deeper connection to memory. Her appreciation for the “poetic” qualities of
photography transcends any era.
Prints
certainly provide that extra kick to the heart. At Photocraft by Tom Warriner,
we believe in tangibility, but also appreciate the digital side of things.
There is certainly a disproportion between a photo on your wall and one on your
iPhone. As social media sites evolve, so will the visceral emotion we attach to
them.
Regardless
of how you feel about print photography, one thing is clear: our pictures
capture the visceral essence of a person, be it a family beach shot, a wedding,
or a senior portrait. We can never replace something like that; we are far too
human! If you are in the Destin, Rosemary Beach, or Navarre,
FL area and need a photographer, contact us!
If
you are interested in Watters’ editorial, you can find it here.