Has the fun gone out of photography? Absolutely not in my view - look at insta, Facebook etc.advances in technology and access to tutorials and videos have made creating great images accessible to many more people than ever before which is a wonderful thing.Whichever genre you can think of, to excel takes as much dedication as before, what’s changed is that bar continues to rise. Personally, I’m loving the journey.
Perhaps FUN was incorrect, how about expertise, experience and knowledge and I don't mean college diplomas, degrees etc, that count for nothing.
I have no photographic degree, I may be average but my photography has more than paid my way
knowledge, knowing f stops, ratios, dof, motion, from experience, like changing gear
I would suggest that the amount of expertise, experience and knowledge that is accumulated when obtaining a diploma or degree will depend very much on the specific course (and, based on the experiences of my god-daughter, who has just completed her photography a-level, the specific teacher of that course).
Modern digital cameras, while becoming more and more sophisticated in their automation (eye-af with facial recognition to lock onto the desired face in a group, for example), the complexity of selecting the various options to get the 'best' from the camera in any given situation has also increased significantly.
The ability to judge the general exposure by eye has been replaced by knowing the right metering mode and degree of exposure compensation, darkroom skillshave been replaced by LightRoom skills (other RAW processing software is available data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7), etc.
And the overriding factor is still the ability of the photographer to visualise the shot - to ensure they are in the right place at the right time to capture that instant (or perhaps that 3 minute long exposure) that stands out form the others.
Has the fun gone out of photography?Not for me at all and not for anyone I know.
More people, taking more pictures with better results all the time.
I learnt the basics on film with an SLR with no light meter - making educated guesses about exposure, using "sunny 16" and doing what I could in the darkroom with the results.
All completely beyond my means when I left college where I'd had access to the equipment for free.
I then spent years just doing snapshots, taking a few rolls a year with all the associated failures to record important moments.
Digital rekindled my interest and the instant results, then the ability to share them has only resulted in more and better quality results.
I find the bemoaning of the deskilling of photography a bit odd.A bit like the pub conversations about drivers who don't know how to double declutch or use a manual choke.Those were necessary to deal with technological limitations that got in the way of the the primary purpose, getting to where you were going.
Virtually everyone can hold up a camera or a phone and get an acceptable record of something that matters to them, that is to be celebrated.
I suggest you check your meanings before using words, I never ever implied
bemoaning
1: to express deep grief or distress over bemoan the death of their leader
2: to regard with displeasure, disapproval
The comments/feelings I clearly made were mine, surely we are all equally entitled to an opinion on an open forum?
I am autistic, aspergers, and for me pleasure is in the setting up and execution as much as the final result, and not just me, most well known professionals, I never have been am not and never will be a point and click person, but good for those who are.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion, nothing wrong with that.
I personally disagree with it though, I love the technical side of it all and I speak to a number of different people on a daily basis who either are as well, or keen to learn.
You could argue with the advancement and options available with cameras these days there’s actually more to learn and get your teeth into. Ok so not everyone learns the sunny 16 rule, but you have to understand metering, white balance, AF modes, drive modes etc etc as well as understanding the ‘basics’ such as ISO, f-stops and shutter speed.
I’m not sure what had led you to believe that people don’t take the time to learn anymore? Yes there’s the point and shoot people but that’s always been the case, there may just be more now because more people, well pretty much everyone, takes photos now. Growing up you tended to have one camera per family, now all the family have their own. But there’s still a lot of experienced and knowledgeable photographers out there.
Nowadays the bulk of photos are taken on Mobile 'phones - often without much regard to the final quality - If it doesn't come out/is shaky - they take another and their friends have a laugh.
In that regard, there is still "Fun"
However, if your objective is Competition, then fancy gear needs someone that has abilities to drive it. The choice of focal length may depend on the available light, etc. Failure in this, may result in a grainy image... which may be a "winner" in some instances, but is generally considered "a fault" .
- Maybe that's like Art:- a few daubs of colour on a blank canvas may be valuable, yet if I accidently splash paint on the wall I have to remove it - as it looks like carelessness.
Last weekend I did a portrait shoot in a studio for the first time in over 12 years. Considering how long it's been I wasn't too rusty. If anything it has sparked some creativity in me to do some more and experiment with lighting setups.
I do have a couple of Canon speedlites so I may get a bowens adaptor to attach different light modifiers to them. I have some stands already and could probably create my own little portrait studio setup.
I recently went to the zoo with my A58 and A300, one equipped with the Tamron 70-300mm USD and the other 17-50 f2.8 VC.
And the pictures are great. Better than the Nikon 1 the misses was using. I had debated selling my gear, but after that trip, I have changed my mind.
Do I love lugging a big lens around? No
Do I love editing the photos? No.
Do I love printing a 20 x 16 inch picture of my nephew stroking a Lemur with a big grin on his face, even though it had been shot at ISO 800? Absolutely Yes
I agree with this and I too am big on the technical side of it all, kind of enjoy geeking out still, the fun for me has never gone.
I was at an event the other week and there was a guy there bigging himself up, the "all the gear, no idea" type. Mentioned exposure settings and he didn't have a clue, he just told me that by having a mirrorless A7Riii, he just needed auto or to ensure that on manual his shutter speed and f-stop was sorted, the rest "a filter can fix" - Each to their own I guess, but as long as he's having fun...