Is it photography?

I've done photography both ways... traditional and digital. I mourned the passing of traditional and embraced the eventual maturation of digital. I've had to admit the digital world gave me many times to pause and reflect on the very path and nature of photography. What had my beloved medium become? Gone were the days of Kodachrome 25 and Cibachrome. Gone with the fine grain of black and white films and the warmth of Ilford paper. Zeros and ones seemed artificial. Photography now possessed an alien feel, something different.

And rightly so. Photography has been torn, rendered, ripped and changed forever. My client is absolutely correct in stating that these "new fangled" images are different. My images are created without the long hours in a darkroom. No need for chemical disposal. No more dust on the negatives or slides. I don't have to wonder if my enlarger light source is nearing the end of its service life. The no. of rolls in my bag is no longer a concern. I don't have to pay for expensive slide film development. In other words...the process, the art, the profession has been altered forever. I for one, am glad.

Is it photography? I don't believe so. But you can debate me and the issue to your hearts content. It's become something new, far from Ansel Adams, far from the other pioneers of classical photography. To see the differences, visit my website and you'll know the differences. I always did want to change the world. And now I can... with zeros and ones.

Doug Deacy