6. Photographers

Since Man first started walking upon the Earth he has seemingly felt compelled to record his journey: his most mundane exploits, his achievements, and his deepest fears and feelings. From the earliest aboriginal cave paintings to Flickr and other photo-sharing websites, it’s all there in minute and abundant detail. It’s as though Man’s most basic emotional needs are to remember and to be remembered.

I have not consciously made it my mission to photograph photographers but it has inevitably happened that they are caught, from time to time, in my viewfinder. Here are a few photographs from my archives featuring people caught in the act of making images…a tribute to my fellow shutterbugs.

Just begging to be photographed

Before digital

Before digital, there was film; and before that there were gelatin and glass plates. As the technology of photography advances, cameras have become more and more convenient to use and images have become easier and quicker to produce.  In the days of film I had my own darkroom where I would develop my rolls of Black and White film and make my own prints. When travelling, I would carry rolls of film around in my camera bag for weeks, even months, before I was able to see the images I’d captured. The image below, for example, was taken in Beijing; and processed weeks later in Australia. Now, with digital technology, I can see a thumbnail view of the image instantly in the back of my camera; and my darkroom is in my computer: no trays, no chemicals, no smell, no mess and no need to block the light out of the room.

The analog SLR

The Digital Age

Digital cameras have become smaller, yet the quality continues to improve. For those who want only to create a visual record, the contemporary digital camera can fit in the pocket or bag. No need to lug a DSLR like the one shown below around.

The digital SLR

So let’s see what is happening out there, on the streets, in cameraland…

Photographer Photographed

What better souvenir?

Mother and daughter, sharing the joys of photography...

Some photographers are passionate about their work...

...but not everyone shares the enthusiasm

So, first select your point of view...

…then, brace yourself, to avoid camera movement…

...say "cheeeeeeese"...

...check the results...

...and if you don't like it, take it again!

Sports Photography

There are many different styles of photography, including: portrait, landscape, still life, street, architectural, industrial and sport. Each one has its own challenges; each one has its own demands; and each one has its own success criteria. In sports photography, for example…

It helps to be tall...

...and it helps if you have the right equipment

The professionals

Japan Open Tennis, 2008

Hopman Cup Tennis, 2008

Fashion shoot on the banks of the Seine in Paris, 1973

The Future of Photography

So what, then, is the future of photography. Digital technology definitely gave the artform a boost, putting cameras in many more hands than ever before; but the combination of the cellphone and camera now means that even more people carry cameras with them wherever they go; and the ability to send photos directly via the internet has enhanced the appeal of the image as a communication form. Media organisations, potentially, have cameras wherever the action is happening and can capture and distribute stills and video of the incident or event within seconds of it occurring. The future of photography has never been brighter.

Camera phones

Convenient, compact, instant and on-line

One more for the album!

Happy shooting everyone! See you on Flickr.