After literally decades of indulging myself in my hobby of photography, I’m finally getting published and enjoying myself much more. The reason is my transition from a film camera to digital. I believe by using digital equipment and a program like Adobe Photoshop a photographer can grow creatively and artistically at a much faster rate.
When I took film photographs I first had to invest heavily in film. Choosing the correct film for the situation was key, and since situations and opportunities for great shots change quickly, it was difficult to have the correct film and have it in the camera at the right moment. Some film buffs would say that a good photographer is prepared, but I love taking candid shots when a situation presents itself and being prepared can be quite tricky. Of course I could have gone the route of having several cameras around my neck at one time, each with a different film in them. but my budget and my neck couldn’t support that. With a digital camera there is no worry about film, the expense of purchasing it or if you have the right kind in your camera when you need it. You do need a memory stick, however, to store your photos in your camera and you have to remember to put it back into your camera after you download your photos. Of course I once took about twenty photos with my film camera before I realized I hadn’t put the film in it. So, if I’m a dim bulb with a film camera I can just as easily be dim with a digital. My digital camera tells me when there’s no memory stick in place, this helps a lot!
The expense of purchasing and developing film (or having it developed) used to put severe limitations on my work. It was difficult to take risks or experiment when I new I had only twenty four chances to get it right. I just couldn’t afford to take eight or ten shots of one subject and experiment with various angles and exposures and many great shots were probably lost because of this. Now, I have a 2G memory stick and recently took more than six hundred shots at a family reunion! I spent a lot of time taking and downloading them, but it cost me nothing monetarily. The memory stick was on sale for thirty dollars and I can use it forever.
Immediacy is also a consideration when choosing digital over film. I’m able to check the quality, lighting and composition on the spot. No waiting for film developing and contact sheets. This allows me to be much more creative and risk trickier angles and lighting as I can
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