Event photographers also find the ability to deliver prints on site an immense competitive advantage, just ask Dave Brooks here on the list. In both these cases speed of delivery is the major economic factor involved.
Digital, whether cameras or scanners, also gives control of his images back to the serious amateur who has no space for a darkroom. Outside of those, and similar, considerations the advantages of digital is more imaginary than real. For some strange reason we humans seem to respond more eagerly to imaginary advantages than we do to real ones.
Also, from Joe Public's point of view, press photographers are the only professional photographers they have much knowledge of as the see them out and about and on TV all the time. Next comes wedding photographers and they seem much the same as press photographers. Portrait photographers come next, but "they use such big cameras and all those lights. I wouldn't want to do that". So if the press photographers are using digital that must be the best camera, I will buy one of them (never mind that the press photographer has a $5000 digital and Joe Public has a $200 digital. In his mind Joe has the same kind of camera that the pros use. That happened with 35mm SLR's too, they did not take off until the press started using them. You can even go back to folding cameras, Joe thought of his folding Kodak as a professional camera just like Weegee's Speed Graphic. So this phenomenon is nothing new by any means.
Rob Brigham wrote:
Thanks, you illustrated this far better than I could. I had to tread lightly because I didn't have the knowledge of history to make any claims, but based on what you say, this is the first time in the photographic industry that there has been such a large uptake of such an immature product. Normally something would be well developed before the pros use it, then it would be even better sorted before becoming mass market. Digital became mass market waaaay before it wa ready - because the people were ready before the media was, and the marketing departments saw a massive demand and made promises that have still to be fulfilled. This has, however, speeded up the development and I believe within 5 years those promises will be met.
-----Original Message-----
From: graywolf [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 24 October 2003 15:02
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Fascinating - a must read!
True enough. It took 35mm 30 years to reach the point that it was considered good enough for professional use and another 10 to become mainstream. Digital is moving much faster than that but it is still an infant prodigy.
-- graywolf http://graywolfphoto.com
"You might as well accept people as they are, you are not going to be able to change them anyway."
