Monday, June 22, 2009

We don't realy need all those pixels...

This is a premise that I will expound on in a not to distant date. It's being posted in the hope that the above tittle will evoke some debate.
I know that some of us have an insatiable hunger for more and more. Yet what can be done with less is amazing. What do you think? More in the future.
All the best
Rocco Galatioto

2 comments:

  1. There is debate on this matter and there is too much of a body of pedantic chatter that pulls the arena of concern further away from the “doing” of photography and too far into the strict how of the discipline. This off track trend is part of larger patterns of distraction and annoyance that leads to folks buying unneeded gear and growing angst over trivial issues of technical detail. But how to address this point and still keep clear that the tool and the hand are meant to be joined and familiar?

    Many cases for illustration are possible and many pleading essays are available on the web to speak to the open minded and thinking of our photography flock; there is only a short measure of influence possible to gain a turn of influence on this corruptible malady of needing more and wanting ever greater. One notion is that as the growing influence of digital techniques spills over the at large photography community will begin to explore and reshape tradition photography as a counterbalance to marketing pressure motivated by serious curiosity and aesthetic interest. This may be the best benefit of the growth of digital tech over the past ten years.

    Another landmark of change may occur once the burnout effect comes into play and folks simply put aside the expense and the worry of RAW vs. JPG, color management, 1:1 pixel resolution comparisons and other misguided philosopher stone quests. These same souls may be salvageable through concerted nurturing of the basics and traditions and might find a home in film photography. Certainly a sale of all of my digital gear could then afford a lifetime of top shelf used film gear of the finest caliber. This is always in my mind when I step up to purchase yet another digital unit. I work against the gravity of expensive new digital gear with deep breathing and calm spread sheet evaluations, sometimes it works.

    To close, there is this undercurrent of fear that is clouded over by worry that the less capable or lesser resolution of the image chip is somehow impinging on our direct sense of control, happiness and freedom of expression. The absurd condition is better addressed with a primary palette and a free afternoon for water color landscapes; careful nuance of light and shadow will offer far more than the most ambitious pixel density and frame rate specification.

    FC

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  2. Dear FC
    Thanks for the thoughtful and passionate reply. It is sad but true that many see the trees but miss the forest all together.
    All The Best
    Rocco

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