sample of photo editing in Lightroom courtesy Doug Hansgate
Toronto. Within months of when photography began, word of the new art spread around the world. Studios (and charlatans) soon sprung up catering to people desiring a ‘likeness’. To be successful in this new art one needed to be technical and artistic.
One over-riding goal of photography was to open the art to more people. In the 1870s, dry plate technology reduced the technical expertise needed to make a good photograph. One could buy dry plates, expose them later and develop or have them developed even later still. The famous Kodak camera and the innovation of roll film made photography practical for even more practitioners. The first half of the 20th century saw improvements in films, cameras and lenses. It was possible to take many photos in daylight and have the film processed and printed. The age of the family photographer was on us.
With digital photography it became even easier to photograph (technically but not artistically). And when smartphones with their ‘free’ built-in cameras that made generally technically perfect photos took over, everyone had a decent camera.
Today, many folk after trying their smartphone or digital camera wish to make better photographs. To this end, folks like those on YouTube, or pros like Brian Matiash and Doug Hansgate offer classes or hands-on lessons using Lightroom or other editing tools to crop, adjust, tone, etc. Hands on classes are also offered teaching proper lighting techniques, framing, etc.
Digital technology and smartphones mean all can have a camera today that is nearly technically perfect – given enough light. But would-be photographers still need the ability to recognize the changes needed and the skill to make those changes to go from a mundane photo to a striking one!
Note: The title of this post is a riff on the rather sarcastic Karl Marx opinion on religion.
