PLUS ÇA CHANGE…
Things are changing so fast these days…or are they? A couple of days ago, I realized that it’s now been 15 years since I started working with digital photography.
In that time, the cameras have become smaller, more responsive and more affordable but other than that, they really haven’t changed much. There are far more tools available to process RAW files but the steps (and corrections) required have stayed pretty stable. Image editing apps have grown substantially – layers, adjustment layers, and a history palette that offers you…gasp…multiple undos, not to mention non-destructive image editing – but our reasons for using them remain the same. And, the process of actually using a digital camera to expose a sensor to light has far more similarities to film-based media than differences.
It reminds me of one of my Mom’s favorite expressions: Alphonse Karr’s “Plus ça change, plus c’est la meme chose” or “the more things change, the more they are the same.”
So, if the rapid pace of change is freaking you out, take a moment and ask yourself, how fast are things really changing? What’s changing and what’s really staying the same? How can I build on the knowledge and skills that I already have to navigate the coming changes?
Realizing that it’s taken over 15 years for digital photography to have the impact on our industry that it has today has helped me breathe a little easier and think a little more clearly about some of the other changes we’re grappling with. I hope it will do the same for you.
One Response to 'PLUS ÇA CHANGE…'
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Je suis d’accord -I agree. I had my photography business in the 80’s and 90’s and I now teach the next generation of shooters. I have to say that even though technology keeps us on our toes, the intrinsic skills necessary to produce a great photograph haven’t changed. If you pay attention to the business and continue to create great photographs, the technology just becomes the latest set of tools to achieve the same ends: a successful photographic career.
Penny