Film as an Artistic Medium
There’s been a YouTube video making its way around social media the past few months that describes why film photography will never disappear as an artistic medium. I’ve spent the last hour searching for this video and can’t find it, so let me summarize.
In the era of digital photography, there are an incredible and unlimited amount of options for artists to create. And because of this, some think that film photography will completely fade away at some point. If this is true then we must also think that it’s entirely possible for an artist to create any type of work, photography or otherwise, digitally. I don’t foresee a future where canvas and oil paints are obsolete like some have predicted for film. If artists selected nothing but a digital medium, why have colored pencils, paint brushes, sketch books, and watercolors? If it’s so simple for a digital medium to replace analog, why have acoustic guitars? Can you imagine your favorite classical music piece, composed for an orchestra, played entirely by a single digital device? Can you imagine visiting an art museum where all the pieces are displayed on a screen?
I know, I’m pushing this towards the extreme, but my point is this. Film will always be around as a choice for photographers. Yes, it may come in limited supplies and used by fewer artists due to expense. That’s what makes film even more important now than it was in the past. Shooting analog in a digital world is not easy or cheap. For the artists that use it, it’s just as rewarding as creating a masterpiece with a paintbrush and canvas.
In the era of digital photography, there are an incredible and unlimited amount of options for artists to create. And because of this, some think that film photography will completely fade away at some point. If this is true then we must also think that it’s entirely possible for an artist to create any type of work, photography or otherwise, digitally. I don’t foresee a future where canvas and oil paints are obsolete like some have predicted for film. If artists selected nothing but a digital medium, why have colored pencils, paint brushes, sketch books, and watercolors? If it’s so simple for a digital medium to replace analog, why have acoustic guitars? Can you imagine your favorite classical music piece, composed for an orchestra, played entirely by a single digital device? Can you imagine visiting an art museum where all the pieces are displayed on a screen?
I know, I’m pushing this towards the extreme, but my point is this. Film will always be around as a choice for photographers. Yes, it may come in limited supplies and used by fewer artists due to expense. That’s what makes film even more important now than it was in the past. Shooting analog in a digital world is not easy or cheap. For the artists that use it, it’s just as rewarding as creating a masterpiece with a paintbrush and canvas.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.