Digital Photography: Is It Art Or Not?

Paperless is the way to go these days and by this, we mean going digital. Thanks to the ever advancing technology and of course, the inventive minds behind them that so many aspects of our personal and professional lives have become very convenient. The world of photography is no exception that’s why we now have the so-called digital photography.

Digital photography is the latest art form in the field of photography. Using digital technology, it is the most advanced form to date. Compared to the conventional method, the processing of digital images are quicker today. A high quality photo these days can be printed in the comfort of a home in only a few seconds.

How it all began

We owe the invention of the photo, our most cherished form of capturing treasured memories in our lives, to Joseph Niepce. In order to capture the first permanent image ever in the world, Niepce used a camera obscura and in it, placed a pewter plate coated with bitumen of Judea. The image appeared only after eight hours of exposure time via a mix of lavender oil and white petroleum. The very first photo showed the view from the window of Niepce’s workroom at his estate located in Gras, France. Since then, many other people went on to discover the art of photography.

In the 1830’s, Louis Daguerre and his Daguerreotype used a more advanced technique of producing images on silver-plated copper. William Fox Talbot followed in 1840 developing a photo using paper sheets with silver chloride that could produce positive prints. His technique was further improved and it was in 1901 when chemical photography gained its popularity.

We all know that the first photos were in black and white print. The first modern color film was introduced in 1935 and this later led to the spread of photography from professional customers to the consumers. The first digital camera was launched 55 years after in 1990 via the DCS 100 camera.

With the introduction of the digital camera came the more advanced process of printing photos. The year 1994 saw the adoption of computers in the homes and the use of high-quality inkjet printers with the Epson Stylus Colour as the world’s first photo printer.

Among the top manufacturers of digital cameras that revolutionized digital photography include Sony, Nikon, Kodak, Canon, Fuji, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus, Samsung and Hewlett Packard. Depending on the needs of photographers, these companies have a range of camera models with varying prices as well as great features.

With prices going down and more advanced features available to consumers, experts have confirmed a growing interest in digital cameras. In fact for the very first time in the year 2003 alone, sales of digital cameras exceeded film camera sales. For this reason, major camera makers have been focusing their development efforts in the digital world.

The present and future

It can be said that the chemical photo processing method has been largely taken over by the digital photo printing. An estimated 3.6 billion digital images were printed or stored in Western Europe in 2003 while the figure was expected to reach 34.6 billion in 2006.

Photo printers now come in various sizes ranging from the bulky to the small and portable types. With a little study at home, almost anybody can print their cherished moments instantly. This has given more and more people the opportunity to get involved in the photography process. Today, consumers can change the colors or even the people in the photo and print it themselves. They have a lot of choices as well in terms of the number of copies they want, size of the photo and type of paper. The best part is that they can scan, print and copy images even without the aid of a computer.

Digital photography has indeed given us so many benefits. Even with less knowledge on professional photography, any ordinary individual interested in taking photos can produce quality prints in less time compared to the long hours that it took in the olden days.

Experts in the field of digital technology believe that colorful images will be enjoyed by many people at the touch of a button and the desire of people to capture special events in their lives through photography will always remain. The big difference now lies in the various options that are available to them when viewing their valued photos. For instance, instead of the traditional photo album, people can now have a digital photo album.

Photo printing is seen to continue to further advance. A possibility being conceptualized for the future is that people will be able to print their digital photos directly from the television by just pressing a button on the remote control. Now, isn’t that amazing?

International biennial shows

With the advent of digital photography, many international shows are being put up each year to provide a venue for digital artists to showcase their works and earn an income on the side. But apart from the exhibition of art works, these events worldwide also give companies in the photo and digital imaging industry an opportunity to promote and market their existing as well as latest products to participants and spectators. Shows normally range from two to five weeks.

• The Art of Digital Show is an international exhibition that features all forms of digital art. These include digital painting, digital video art, digitally manipulated photography, computer based illustration, digital collages, mixed media with digital elements, computer animation, interactive installations, CGI and digital manipulations of art created the traditional way. The show’s unique feature is coming together of video art and fine art images in one gallery. Its main goal is to extensively promote and market the works of participating artists whose works were judged by Neal Benezra, director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In 2007, the show was held at the Lyceum Theater in San Diego, California and was open to the public 24/7. Learn more about this at www.artofdigitalshow.com.

• The very first World Photography Biennial called Photoquai took place in Paris last October 30 to November 25, 2007. The event, held at the Musee du Quai Branly situated on the banks of the Seine River, was the first biennial dedicated to the presentation of contemporary photography from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. It featured more than 30 exhibitions in several museums, cultural centers, embassies, galleries, outdoor plazas and under the bridges across Paris. Artists given honor included those important figures in the history of photography worldwide and contemporary artists. Exhibited during the show were still and moving digital images in various formats, projections as well as paper and silver gelatin prints. The Photoquai event was held in time for the Mois de la Photo, the biannual citywide photography festival that originated in Paris in 1980 and Paris Photo which is among the most popular photography fairs around the world. For more information on these Paris’ photo events, check out these sites -- www.parisphoto.fr, www.mep-fr.org and www.quaibranly.fr.

• The Photo Marketing Association (PMA) convention and trade show is the photo industry’s major event. It is during this time when manufacturers announce new camera models. Four new DSLRs were introduced in the last PMA show. The 2008 show held last January 31 to February 2 featured other remarkable advancements such as improved video capture capability in digital cameras, bigger zoom ranges going beyond 500 mm equiv., continuous shooting at very high frame rates, larger storage cards and more compact megapixels for image quality. The top four digital cameras for 2008, according to some experts, are Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35, Sony Cuber-shot DSC-T300, Panasonic Lumix DMC-T25 and Canon Powershot SD1100 IS. Know more about this event at www.pmai.org. The PMA is a professional trade group founded in 1924. With headquarters in Jackson, Michigan, it has drawn some 20,000 members from around the globe. Members include professional photographers, imaging labs, scrapbook retailers, among many others.

• The Photokina trade show is an important event in the digital imaging industry. It showcases all the latest digital reflex camera and compact cameras that were launched prior and during the event. Visitors will also get a chance to see and listen to presentations on various topics such as image capturing, image storage and processing, image transmission and service, image output, equipment and supplies. The last Photokina show was held in 2006 in Cologne, Germany which drew more than 162,000 visitors from 153 countries. To get more details, visit the site www.photokina-show.com.

• The Brighton Photo Biennial is Britain’s biggest photo show. The 2006 edition took place during the month of October at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and the Prince Regent’s Royal Pavilion. Although a local initiative, it has gained international attention. The 2008 event will focus on the images of war, their making and currency in contemporary society. For this year, the photo event will have other venues such as in Winchester, Portsmouth, Chichester and Bexhill on Sea. The Brighton Photo Biennial is bent on encouraging critical debate on photography in all forms from the conventional to the modern, analog to digital and still to moving. Reaching a wider audience globally is also among its top priorities. To know more about this, visit www.bpb.org.uk.