I discovered this video a few days ago and have watched it a few times since then. I don’t see a persuasive argument in support of film from any of the people interviewed. Watch it again really paying attention to what they say and you will see that virtually every statement these photographers make in defense of their choosing to practice analog photography can be applied to those who shoot digital, as well.

They talk about discipline, creativity, etc. but regardless of tool choice, every photographer needs to be disciplined and creative. If a photographer isn’t any of that, it’s not digital’s fault, since the photographer is in control of his or her own actions. There is nothing magical about digital that will immediately transform a poor film shooter into the Ansel Adams of the digital world.

Mike, with all due respect, I’ll admit that I’m a bit disappointed and maybe even slightly offended to see you make assumptions/generalizations that digital tools make people sloppy, that digital users are more interested in “gear” than of the images themselves, that digital users are somehow disconnected from their images, and that they are less skilled than film shooters. Maybe I’m reading more into your words than you intended, but in defense of myself and many of the digital photographers I know, these assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth.

What makes you imply that digital photographers relate to each other in software or technology and not at a simpler, more photographic level? Digital tools are certainly important because that how we bring our vision to life, but like tools in analog photography, these tools are a means to an end, that end being the photographer’s vision of an image.

Were all getting to the same place, just taking different roads.

Jim, most of your points are quite on the mark. The “failing” of digital is in the allure of the tools that compel photographers to produce work because they have a particular tool or have learned how to process in a certain way. This pitfall is not insignificant as I have tried to point out on a series of posts in the last month or so, the last one being this evening. I am afraid it is easier to lose sight of discipline in the digital domain than it is in the analog world. Of course, it does not make all digital photographers undisciplined. Also, there are more digital work readily accessible online therefore there will be more sloppy work visible. I sure wish the big photographic organizations assumed more of a leadership role in educating photographers. Regrettably, that is not what I see as I indicated on an earlier post.

Come to think about I think I have one of these Rolleiflex twin lens cameras in my storage area…
have to dig it out would be a great time for placement on eBay…
with this CNN video coming out and enlightening people about analog photography….