i’m takin a photojournalism class and we have been talking about creativity quite a bit. we have come a long way in photography. there was a time when the person that was getting their picture taken had to stay still for an hour or more; which made it hard to take any pictures where there were moving people involved. now there are High Definition cameras that can take video and then simply choose the frame they want a still image of. does that mean that someday photographers will be out of business? maybe. they will no longer be needed to get the perfect shot that says the whole story in a single photo or capture someone jumping in puddles and getting that shot right before they hit the water, why? because a video camera can do it all. but what about creativity? are we letting go of it and simply moving on?
to be creative is to produce a product that is unique. creativity isn’t built in to a HD camera, video camera, digital camera or any other type of camera. it is true that they are very important tools in the process of being creative in the world of photography and photojournalism, but there is still a process and through that process something creative can be produced. something else to keep in mind is that the product doesn’t have to be a photograph. the product can be a feeling that someone gets after shooting all day and not capturing anything spectacular, but feeling good about learning or trying something new. if someone takes a unique picture and nobody ever sees it, is it still creative? if it produced some amount of satisfaction and enjoyment, then yes. we can only hope that the next generation of children enjoy the process of creativity through photography and photojournalism.
Photojournalism
November 10, 2006 at 5:46 am (Uncategorized)
julietlfong said,
November 20, 2006 at 5:22 am
Atika,
It’s amazing how much the art of photography has progressed within the last couple decades and I think that this has a lot to do with the development of newer technologies. While I see how these high-tech cameras make it easier to take good photos, it does not necessarily result in highly creative photos. But the presence of easier to use cameras (and cheaper ones) makes the medium of photography more accesible.
I love what you have to say about cameras as a tool and how they are not what is creative. Photography is really based on the individual. Everyone involved in a photograph (the photographer, the subject, the bystanders, the viewers) all experience the photograph differently. I definitely get excited about my pictures while I’m taking them and looking back on them later. I’ve been working on shooting my little sister’s senior portraits and we’ve been having a great time. I’ve been learning a lot (adjusting to my new camera), she’s been having fun being a superstar, and our family is saving a ton of money!
As a complete side-note, are you taking class with Wendi? Isn’t she fantastic?! One of my co-workers is in that class as well (Michelle).