| For many, digital photography is a breath of fresh air, | | | | better. The same values we apply in our |
| but be wary - believing our landscape images will be | | | | photography should remain regardless of which |
| superior could be a serious blunder. | | | | camera we use. |
| Having lost count of the number of people who have | | | | Good photography remains as elusive and as enticing |
| asked me: have you gone digital? I am always left | | | | as it ever was; going digital doesn't change this or |
| wondering why it's such a much-asked question. The | | | | make getting good images any easier. It brings |
| camera is only a tool in which a photographer creates | | | | technical advantages, and plenty of them, but the |
| an image. His personal ability to create a unique image | | | | majority of photographic techniques never change. |
| remains the same. | | | | Good landscape images come from the |
| For many forms of photography, digital has long held | | | | photographer's personal ability, not the ability of a |
| obvious advantages, but for landscapes the resolution | | | | camera. The camera helps, but the creative eye |
| necessary to make larger prints just wasn't available. | | | | remains the same. |
| But things have changed and digital cameras are fast | | | | As a landscape photographer I am still hesitant to |
| becoming the tools that most pros use. | | | | embrace digital photography and all the qualities that |
| Modern digital cameras are perfectly capably of | | | | digital has brought to other professionals in different |
| matching the 35 mm film - the format which most | | | | photography fields. |
| landscape photographers begin with. But can they | | | | There are a few simple reasons that I still use a film |
| really match the large format film cameras? This is | | | | camera: |
| probably the greatest question that all photographers | | | | The authenticity of my images could be questioned if |
| face. | | | | I used a digital camera. It is often assumed that |
| Instant LCD feedback is digitals greatest gift and this | | | | great digital images have been manipulated. |
| enables the photographer to check exposure and | | | | Too much time is spent in front of a computer. |
| composition of their image in the blink of an eye. | | | | Slide film produce stronger colours than a digital |
| While this is a big advantage, the hours spent in front | | | | camera. |
| of the computer processing the raw images have to | | | | There are many advantages for changing to digital |
| be a hindrance. A landscape photographers time is | | | | but I'm going to stick with film; for the time-being |
| best spent behind a camera not in front of a | | | | that is. With time film cameras will be a thing of the |
| computer. | | | | past and all our images will be exchanged for the |
| The pros and cons of digital photography will remain | | | | pixels. But, be wary - believing our work will be |
| an issue for some time. At the end of the day a | | | | superior would be falling into a great trap. For me size |
| digital camera won't make a photographers images | | | | matters, the larger I can print an image the better. |