It is Not Fair! But It's a Good Thing...

"Hats for Sale", Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

It is just not fair! When I dived into photography in 1970, the process was daunting.  Now, I'm a self-taught photographer.  I didn't have the benefit of going to a school or taking courses in the art and craft of photography.  But I jumped in with both feet.  The essence of photography to me was the balance of technology and art.  The requirement for simultaneous left brain/right brain activities.  I loved the technology of photography (I'm primarily a science and technology oriented person) with the aesthetic and creative aspect of making a pleasing image.  It was an activity that brought a beautiful balance to me.  Besides, I tried drawing but just couldn't make it work.  Back to fairness.....

Back in the "old days" film was the medium.  There was no looking at the back of the camera body to see the photograph you had just taken.  There was almost no automation.  The only automation that I can remember was being able to set the lens' aperture and the camera would "guess" at the shutter speed.  I say guess, because the metering systems were pretty rudimentary and limited to bright light. No auto focus!  You actually had to quickly focus the lens accurately.  One had to learn not only the camera controls and how they would affect the resulting outcome, but also the capabilities of the film used and how the film would record the scene.  Additionally, especially in color, there was no way to adjust the contrast of a color print.  Using slide film was even more difficult as its ability to capture bright highlights and deep shadows in the same scene was almost impossible.  The photographer had to decide whether he or she wanted to lose highlight detail or shadow detail, then bias the camera's exposure to compensate.  Normally, we would choose to let the shadows go black as we learned that the eye is first drawn to the brightest part of the image.  You would want the detail visible. As I said, there was no looking at the back of the camera to confirm an exposure, expression, composition, etc.  You got that surprise when you, or a lab, developed your film and you looked at the negatives or prints.  And--sometimes it was a big surprise (Yes!  I got it or Doggone it!  How did I screw up?)


Round Island Light, Mackinac Island, MI

Oh!  One other thing.  There were no cute little flash units built into cameras that popped up and make photos look better.  I used a "potato masher", a huge Honeywell Strobonar with a 510 volt battery strapped to my belt.  It was totally manual.  Every time you or the subject moved, you had to change the camera's aperture to get the correct exposure.  Now, how many of you know about and understand the "Inverse Square Law?"  That is the law that determines how light's brightness changes over distance.  So, you kept that in mind when calculating your new exposure.  Fun!

The photographer of yesteryear had to fully understand the process from start to finish, otherwise risk a high rate of failure.  When you found out you failed, you were long gone from the scene.  There were no opportunities to look at the camera back, adjust the exposure, then take another photo.

My personal journey was to look at thousands of photographs of photographers I admired as well as advertisements, illustrations--everything--to understand what makes a good photograph.  Simultaneously, I researched and read everything I could get my hands on about photography--both the technical and aesthetic aspects of the craft.  I consumed book after book after book, making photographic experiments along the way to see if I was "getting it."  That process took years.

Later, when I had regular access to a darkroom, I started the complex process learning how to develop and print my photographs.  This took years to make, what was to me, a very good and professional looking print.  Depending upon the scene, should I develop the film for the normal time (and you had to determine your "normal" time for your water/chemistry/methods/film), overdevelop to increase contrast, under-develop to hold shadow/highlight details, which developer to use, which paper will fit the print?  It goes on and on.  I also learned how to process correctly and archivally so as to have lasting images. That was black and white.  Then came color.  I did the same thing, which was even more complex with learning densitometry and chemistry.  The learning process never stopped and still hasn't.  Never will, as far as I'm concerned.

As time passed, I delved into large format, taught myself the Zone System, fell in love with medium format for its portability as well as smooth tones and wonderful gradations.  I built an 8' X 12' darkroom in my garage and loved my little sanctuary.  Practice, practice, practice.  All to get better.

To the present day.  It is all digital.  What's the difference?  The photographic technology is easier.  The process is highly technically advanced and the images seem to come out of the camera (really a computer with a lens attached) beautifully exposed, colorful, sharp and grainless (referring to film grain.)  Just about anyone can pick up a camera and make good looking images.  However, the other half of the bi-polar craft of photography still hasn't changed.  The aesthetics still remain.  The art, and the requirements of learning art, still haven't changed.  There are millions of beautifully exposed, colorful, sharp bad photographs being taken every day.

Don't get me wrong.  I have fully embraced digital and absolutely love it.  I would never, ever want to go back.  I'm making better photographs and better prints digitally than I ever was able in the analog world.  I'm hoping the industry keeps pushing the envelope.  This is a wonderful ride!

For old-timers like me, who worked for years to really learn the history, technology, craft and aesthetic aspects of photography--struggled and still struggle at times--the new young photographers have really never had to learn those skills.  But the good aspect is that digital has opened photography to millions who used to be camera shy and they are the ones recording their lives, their families, their environment and their memories.  And that is very good!  For all of us.

Thanks for visiting and please take a look at my photography website, www.dennismook.com, and I'm sure you will find some very things for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook