Has Digital Transformed your Photography?

[Tom V]

Digital photography has transformed my photographic work quite a bit.

My workflow is quite different, especially in regards to handling film, processing, scanning, and storage. I am able to work much faster, get more done, and it all looks better compared to digital images made from film.

I still approach a subject with the same "eye," but my attitude toward composition and subject matter may be a little more wide-ranging now that it is virtually free to try something extra-creative. No more $5 expense just to shoot a little bracket of exposures on a composition that may or may not work. "Hey! It's digital! Try it!" If you don't like it, delete it! No cost for testing, trying new things, or just learning.

It may seem contrary to your first thought, but even a $2400 camera can save you money compared to the cost of film, processing, scanning, and time. My S2 saved me enough in film, processing, scanning and time in the first two months to easily pay for itself. Since then, everytime I pick up the camera, it doesn't feel like it costs anything to shoot - very liberating. My customers still pay the same, which is even more liberating!

I knew in advance that digital would make things quicker and easier, but I find that I get a different feeling when I pick up a digital camera that is not mentioned in any manual. For me, digital technology has made photography a great joy again.

Anyone else have an awakening, happy realization, newfound joy, or unexpected benefit from shooting with a digital camera?

[Swampy]

Originally posted by Tom Voegeli
Digital photography has transformed my photographic work quite a bit.

Anyone else have an awakening, happy realization, newfound joy, or unexpected benefit from shooting with a digital camera?

Ditto. A number of years ago, I got the chance to try one of these new digital cameras. 640x480 was it's top resolution. Would only record in JPG and came with a 4 meg SmartMedia card. All the features of this camera can pretty much be listed in one sentance. Power on/off, smart media in/out, Proprietary serial cable link up and it would only take batteries, no ac adapter.

Even though the quality and functionality was poor, I knew from the first click and the first view, a new world was just discovered. This was 7 or 8 years ago and even back then, I longed for the S2, D1x, 14h type functionality... My old Canon A1 would be out the door VERY shortly.

[Ron Green]

Tom:
In just the saved price of transparency film and processing the S2 paid for itself on the 4,871st exposure. Or, in less than five months use. But, there are bigger issues and conclusions at work here than mere money. Yes, the S2 has changed the way this 64 year old approaches photography.

At age 14 I had my first darkroom, at age 17 my first new Nikon, and at age 19 a 4x5 Linhof. These were followed by just about every pro Nikon body and lens ever made, Hasselblads, Kardans, more Linhofs, a few panoramics, and even several Canons.

After a lifetime of photography, the S2 is the most “fun” camera I’ve ever owned. My criteria for digital was simple. A 16 x 20 print as good as a Ciba from Kodachrome. The S2 was the first digital camera I tried that was able to easily accomplish the task. And, I can use all of my existing “Tried and True” Nikon lenses from 15mm through 800mm. It’s a blast.

I’ve spent my entire career shooting architecture, reportage and stock for profit. I am now also doing it for fun. The S2 and the digital darkroom have completely changed my photographic life.

And finally Tom, I admire from afar your ability to communicate (with a smile) and share knowledge, even to snide neophytes, on all facets of photography. It is a rare gift and highly appreciated by those who carefully follow this forum.

[Iain]

Living on an island means that I and friends that I do photographs for have the results almost instantly. Normally a film can take up to a fortnight to be returned. Having a reasonable printer means that I can have large A4 prints in a similarly fast time. Having film processed entails a lengthy process to get enlargements. I also know immediately what I have shot.

I recently did a friends daughter's christening. I was able to give them a dozen or so large prints. Also, her Uncle from New York was here. He was able to take the prints and a CD ROM with the rest of the images back to the States with him.

The results from the S2 PRO are fantastic. I am taking my wife on a Safari to Kenya for her 40th later this year. The S2 is going of course along with a Sigma 170-500mm lens and 3 1Gb microdrives!

Digital is fantastic stuff!

Iain

[ali]

I use to never do charity photography work. Now digital cameras have made me accept some charity work because digital is both convenient and fun.

[lightwrangler]

I've been shooting since highschool and have owned or used a vast array of gear. Since 1995 I have been in one way or another in digital imaging. I agree with most of the points made earlier. Certainly the freedom to shoot and experiment without cost is very nice.

However, I think of digital as not being a huge savings over film and processing. Rather I consider that money has been reallocated to equipment and time. I never used to print my own colour work, so a lab did it and I marked it up. Now of course I do it, but I am also paying for the hardware and time to do it. Since digital is in a stage of growth, I will most likely be using another camera or another version of the S2 in a years time. Computers are another area of limited life, I usually go 3 years between purchases which some might say is too long, but I like to get my dollars worth. With new computers, come new software and like the cameras, you have to allocate time to learn this stuff. Time=money.

20 years ago you could buy a Hassie, a Nikon, a few lenses and some lights and you were in business. You could use that stuff for 20 years and not have to update. Today you are fortunate to get 3 years out of digital gear. It either wears out or is becomes badly out of date. I think many of us will spend our savings on film and processing in the constant endeavour to be current with technology. And I don't see that changing too much in the near future.

Bottom line for me: I am still spending money, but on different things. The up side is the increased freedom that I have to shoot whatever, however and whenever I want to. I not complaining about that!

[lightwrangler]

.... I realize that I didn't really answer Tom's question, but sort of went off on a tangent. (I'm not very linear sometimes)

"Anyone else have an awakening, happy realization, newfound joy, or unexpected benefit from shooting with a digital camera?"

Well yes, I am shooting with a lot more abandon than I once was. Sometimes I just pull out the camera and shoot, not knowing wether or not I may end up with something. I am more likely to take a chance and try something different. Film caused me to be cautious while shooting, digital encourages me to go over the top sometimes (with the unfortunate side effect of having to evaluate and edit all that free expression!).

I get a lot from just shooting and it makes me very happy to just "play" with images. I have in a sense rediscovered the joy of shooting that I had when I first picked up a camera. The kick I got when I saw an image come up in a tray of developer is there when the image flashes up on the LCD display on on the screen of my computer.

I still believe that the image has to happen in the minds eye first and that equipment is in the final analysis, a tool. Digital cameras have changed the way I work, but not the way I create. Digicams have made faster the process of photography. I know that I can shoot more, but I spend just as much time in the creation of the photo as I always have. One of the biggest benefits for me is the ease of how the image is aquired, stored and delivered.

[Andre]

I have gotten interested in photography only because of digital. Any curiosity I had before was never followed up on because of the learning curve - and thus the expense of wasting LOTS of film and paying for lots of developing. With film cameras I only ever used a cheap point & shoot, even though I have my father's old Minolta 35mm in the cupboard.

I started with a point & shoot digital for the convenience. I moved up a bit to a Minolta D5, so had a chance to learn about some more advanced settings. After only playing with that camera for a few months, I wanted more. So I sold the D5 and splurged on the S2.

Now I can learn how to use a "real" camera, and I'm not wasting any film or spending money on developing. I've learned a lot - but lots more to go.

[X-Sync]

The biggest transformation to my photography as a result of a DSLR has to be time. Until the end of last year I was scanning most of my images, a very time consuming and mind numbing process. Digital SLR's have given me the freedom to do more of the bit I like best, seeking out and creating new images. I find the workflow more satisfying, I am adjusting and outputting images shortly after their capture when they are still at the front of my mind. I now feel a certain detachment from my transparencies after waiting a week to ten days to see them before I can caption and file them.
I shoot more images now than ever, as a direct result of this I think that my photography has improved. And on a similar note to another post here DSLR's are more fun to use, I enjoy working now more than at anytime for that I consider myself lucky.

Happy Shooting

Simon

[bjnicholls]

I'm still a long way from saving money via film and processing costs. The camera is just part of the expense. Add the 1Gig Microdrive and 512 Meg CF card, add the 30 Gig Tripper portable storage, add the firewire cardreader, add the NiMH cells and chargers. I don't blast through lots of shots very often and that's hasn't changed because of my perception of having "free" digits to burn. Someone who wasn't already into scanning wouldn't have money invested in calibration and digital darkroom technology to factor in.

I've had P&S digitals to compliment my film SLR system for years. They worked every bit as well for quickie ebay shots and the like.

What has changed is I can make product photos with enough resolution to use easily use them in my graphic design business for full page layouts without concern for resolution and quality. My Coolpix 990 let me experiment with lighting like a digital Polariod, but often the resolution and chromatic aberation made the images inadequate for anything but comps and small ads.

[Tom V]

Similar to bjnicholls (above), I used my previous three Nikon CoolPix cameras to supplement my film-based photography for use in my graphic design business to make full page layouts and ads.

Even with the CoolPix being used for the minor shots, I still used film for the larger shots. I was able to take some advantage of digital benefits, but I still had to deal with maintaining a stock of film, and spending untold hours dropping-off and picking-up from the photolab, and then the drudgery of scanning and retouching dust and grain.

The fastest I could shoot a transparency, get the film to the lab, get the film back from the lab, scan it and do basic retouching was about 4 hours. I was dependent on the hours of the lab, and it was impossible on weekends.

If I was in a real rush, I would shoot a negative, get it processed (film only, no prints, for about $3) at the local drugstore, and get it scanned and basic retouching was about 3 hours.

When I got the Fuji S2, I was able to dispense with ALL of the running around, scanning and retouching. Now I can go from Photoshoot to Photoshop in about 2 minutes. 24/7!

When time is money, and a deadline is approaching - the S2 has proven invaluable.

[bjnicholls]

Absolutely. 4.5 hours is about my fast turn with a 90-minute lab and the drive downtown. The cost of film and processing is noise compared to the time savings (more productive time and billable hours).

A couple of times I was so pinched for time, I managed to get barely usable shots by taking two Coolpix images of upper and lower halves of a product to stitch together. The S2 is a joy to use with minimal lag and far superior performance.

[teski]

My passion for photography had slowed down a lot in the early and mid 90's and then I picked up a Nikon Coolpix 950 in 1999 and have never looked back. I moved around to a few different digicams until I picked up the S2 last August, and I couldn't be happier. I shoot almost every day (no I'm not a pro), and I love learning more about post processing. My passion is definitely renewed.

Teski