WILL THE DIGITAL GENERATION EVER PRIZE THEIR PHOTOS AS MUCH AS THOSE PEOPLE WHO USED FILM
SITTING on my desk are two large leather-bound albums, each containing about 600 photographs, all taken by my late father. As far as I am aware, all the images were taken on his Pocket Ensign 'All Distance' Model No.1. The second album was completed in about 1957.
Their contents represent a pictorial record of his life that saw him serve in Gallpoli, Turkey during the First World War, work, play and socialise throughout the 1920s and get married in the '30s. When I came along in 1938, he continued to snap away, recording my early childhood. However, my father was not a photographic enthusiast, or indeed an amateur photographer. He simply took 'snaps', which is what it proudly announces in gold and black on the cover of each album. Practically, all the images are simple contact prints, many now in faded sepia, without any particular merit. Nevertheless, to me they are a priceless record of his life, family, friends, surroundings and dwellings. They not only show the ever-changing environment, but also give a fascinating glimpse of his motor cycles, cars and places visited.
I, by contrast, am an enthusiastic amateur photographer, who constantly seeking to capture the sort of images that could hopefully grace the pages of AP. Inspired by my late father's efforts. I systematically organise and file my photographs into appropriate folders and albums, and in addition to my 'serious' photography I try to record the same sort of things he did.
On day I hope that my children and grandchildren will appreciate my efforts as much as I have treasured my father's, but I have serious doubts about this. They all have digital cameras and mobile phones, and like so many of us these days, they take hundreds of images that clog up their memory cards and laptops. It seems to me the only guaranteed destination for some of them will be Facebook and the rest will just languish until something seizes up.
My father had to first purchase a roll of film, and then pay hard-earned cash to have it processed, and because of this, every exposure would have been carefully considered. By contrast, digital photography is 'free' until you actually commit to a print.
I believe before we press the shutter, we should ask ourselves what we intend to do the actual photograph. I think we should also try to record as many interesting happenings in our lives, such as family and friends, and places that are likely to change, so that in the years to come others can see what has happened. The chances are the classic landscape will be there for others to capture, but can you say the same about other things in your life?
From an article in the Back Chat Section of Amateur Photographer magazine 7 April 2012 issue by AP Reader Bob Rowles.
An edited version appears here.
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