Topic: The Onset of Visual Lethargy.

[Skorj]

A thought occurred to me the other day… As I sat and watched the tourists with their digital cameras, each in turn taking a snap, then uncontrollably looking at their photograph immediately, I realized risk taking was going out the window. Because they could immediately see their results, they looked, snapped, and turned away. Off they lethargically shuffled to their next visual compromise.

Try it yourself; the next time you are out-and-about with your digital camera, try to resist the temptation to gaze wistfully at those immediate pixels. Thinking about what it would be like if you were using film. Never quite knowing if you got something interesting or not. Tweaking a few settings, and trying again. Is this a good situation, or a bad situation?

[FrankB]

I have to agree. The instant digital result that is so attractive to some is a complete turn off to me. If your livelihood depends on getting the shot right then it's a different tale, but for a hobbyist such as myself that isn't so much of a factor.

A case in point - about a month ago, myself and a load of other film users met up in the Yorkshire Dales to drink, waste film, drink, exchange views and ideas, drink and show prints. And drink. We had a great time (as far as I can remember!) in glorious surroundings. The sun even came out once or twice!

Yes, I missed a few shots owing to iffy metering and flare that, if I'd have seen the results whilst on location, I would have taken again, but nothing critical was really hanging on it and it gives me an excuse to go back another time!

If I'd been shooting digitally I'd have come home, viewed my results on the screen, posted a load to the web, maybe printed a few of them out and that would have pretty much been that. With film (and a busy life!) it took me a while to process them and another while before I got into the darkroom to produce index prints. I've now knocked out a couple of work prints of a couple of them and I'm leisurely selecting which ones to have a go at next.

Time consuming? Yes. Slow? Yes.

Why is that a problem?! Thanks to the nature of the traditional process I'll be savouring and enjoying the fruits of that weekend for ages!

Instant gratification can also be fleeting gratification - a pyrrhic victory.

[Dave_M]

I usually don't pay much attention to the instant preview. By the time I upload it to the computer it looks different on the screen anyway.

I use film because

a) The cameras are MUCH more aesthetic to use
b) the results are better (in my eyes)
c) a negative can be extremely flexible (both in terms of latitude and printing).
d) it just feels more FUN!

However I have one situation where the instant preview of a digi camera is a godsend- Christmas photos for the grandparents. I've done it twice now (with studio lights). My wee girl runs around like a headless chicken and the wee lad gets impatient after 30 seconds.  I'll taken about 80 pics both times and found the instant preview a godsend. (The aim was to get 4 shots that would do as colour 5x7 prints). To me, digital capture has many disadvantages so (in this case) I'm happy to exploit the one thing it can do! 

Most other times I enjoy waiting to see how the image turned out. Looking at newly developed negs is magical.

[LT]

I carry my own instant preview around with me everywhere I go, it's called my eyes.   

[Susan B.]

I carry my own instant preview around with me everywhere I go, it's called my eyes.   

Taylor brilliance at it's best!
 

[db]

"I carry my own instant preview around with me everywhere I go, it's called my eyes"
Unfortunately the iris in my Nikon is vastly inferior to the ones in my head!

Digital shooting can affect people in vastly different ways. One is the reaction Skorj describes.

Anal: Is the scene I 'captured' or 'imprisoned' might be a better way of putting it, the one I pre visualised, or a reasonable facsimile of it? I'd better check the preview after each frame is fired, so don't move.

The other is Experimental: The: 'I have no idea how this will look best, but it's not costing me a cent to shoot it every which way, even the ways I think won't work'.

I suspect that the anal variety were just as anal when they were shooting film. Even if they did try different ways of capturing a scene, when they picked up their prints from the lab they would flick through and discard the ones that didn't match their pre-conception, until 'At last I got what I wanted- and how much did that lot cost me?'

In other words, they were probably always that way inclined. Digital doesn't make them more creative, perhaps just less dissapointed.

Working as a film shooting pro, I was often inclined toward the anal. There was simply too much $$ + reputation riding on the outcome. So I used Polaroid to preview. Remove the film back from the Hass, click on the Pol back, shoot, wait 60 seconds, re-light, shoot again, wait another 60 seconds, re-load the tran back, then try and slap some life and sponenaity back into the subject. What a hassel...

Now 95% of my pro work is digital so at least I can preview the first frame, then flick OFF the screen, and be either as anal or as experimental as I want. I certainly don't edit in camera- plenty of time for that on the big screen.

But I still wouldn't swap my Diana for anything

[Skorj]

In raising this subject, I was perhaps framing it for my obtuse creative process; my street work, the art part. The benefits of digital for a number of grandmothers and professional workstreams is of course well documented. I would hate to subject myself to the tension of paying gigs with film only... The security of digital, particularly for field work, is an overwhelming benefit. An oppressive deadline is bad enough without having to worry about lack of latitude, or other film-based foibles I would normally embrace.

Though I take a real camera with me, it is digital that forms the backbone of the work here for me. I admire those that started and continue to use film professionally.

Digital doesn't make them more creative, perhaps just less disappointed.

Now there's an interesting expression. Accurate too me thinks. Nice.

But I still wouldn't swap my Diana for anything

Go baby!

Thanks for the comment. Skorj.

[Francois]

I never use the digital preview on my digicam mainly because it's so cheap that it doesn't have any   (read Agfa CL-18)

Well, I bought it used... and for an extra cheapo price

But if I had one, I would probably use it occasionally... but not often.