I have spent a great deal of my time this past month reassessing my photographic work. It's a good thing. Backing away for reflection is usually done in January, right? Spring always seems to be when I face myself-ready or not. With my return to graduate work in Information Science, I have learned more about information systems than I thought I possible could. So, my mind has had some distractions. But this peeking into a techno world of knowledge has also made me wonder where is all this imagery going? and how are we going to handle all the extra bytes of quick photos from our smart phones?
Lots of interesting theories about spacial dimensions and technology and, my favorite, brain changes.
What I would like to think is that a return to the old ways of photography may reemerge in some capacity. Why is this important to me, you ask? I am concerned with the declining integrity taken to produce a photographic print untouched by pixel manipulation and destruction. Quit messing around with the integrity of the image-cause we, photographers, are losing credibility. Photographers are artists who use the camera to capture and create-post processing is non destructive to the pixels. OK, yes, wet darkroom printers, like Jerry Uslemann, would have illusions in their printed works challenging what we comprehend. But he was in the darkroom-not using Photoshop or Plugin software.
So, where does integrity land in all these algorithms? Many say with the creator, while others extend the definition to include process and product. Maybe it is as simple as saying, I am a photographer-not a digital artist.
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| Morning Meditation, Western Evergaldes Agricultural Area, Florida |
