The New Must-Have Magazine

[Marko]

I still think the title is misleading, or simply plain wrong. Maybe since an SLR is now often called a D-SLR, a simpler and more logical (more accurate) name would have been D-Darkroom.

...

Digital Darkroom is only a term of the un-educated masses who don't understand what a graphics professional (or photographer) actually does with a computer.

Funny that the very terms Darkroom and Camera themselves were usurped by early photographers and represent a very uneducated, even bastardized ripoff of the term Camera Obscura...

Now seriously - Misleading? To whom? Wrong? Why??

Uneducated masses who don't understand what a photographer does with a computer? Oh, come on, FCOL, how many photographers on this very board seem to be completely computer ignorant and even proud of it?

[naturephoto1]

Marko,

There is about 150 years of photographic history prior to digital becoming the major way of capturing an image to consider.

Rich

[Dave Parker]

Well it is unfortunate, I feel we are going to see more and more of this stuff happening in the future, the current generation of D-Photographers, don't seem to realize why it is bothersome to those of us that have spent a major portion of our life learning the skills of a traditional photographer and are proud of it, I am not threatened by it, but I am disappointed in the choice to call it "Darkroom" which other than lowering the lights to work in front of the computer screen really has no relation to traditional dark room skills.

Dave

[PViapiano]

What does Lightroom do that PS can't?

FYI, I don't like the title either...

The digital photography revolution reminds me of the "desktop graphics" revolution of 10 years ago. All of a sudden the market was flooded with the worst DIY crap you ever saw. Ever visit the forums at DPReview.com? Occasionally you see something of interest but usually it's the worst god-awful photos you'll most likely ever see from folks who are just chasing the upgrade cycle.

You know, the music biz (my biz) is just the same. You see player after player racing to get the latest guitars, pedals, amps, etc in search of the golden bullet that will make them play better. It's hilarious...in photography and music (and most everything else in life) the only way to get better is to practice...as Lance Armstrong says, "It's not about the bike."

[Jim Rice]

If this represents the the ethos of the educated (and by extension, the enlightened) then please consider me among the unwashed......thank you.

[Gordon Moat]

If this represents the the ethos of the educated (and by extension, the enlightened) then please consider me among the unwashed......thank you.

Nice!

I was going to reply to the post Marko wrote, though just as easy to use this one. My comments in the reply were an expectation that Scott Kelby might actually check back in here, and read more of our postings. Hopefully this does not come across as hyper-critical, but there is a wide range of enthusiasts who want a taste of what they think a professional might be doing for work. The problem is that many of these ultra involved PhotoShop exercises, staying up on the latest software, or even really unusual large format techniques, might not relate at all to what a professional might actually be doing, or that might be able to be billed out to someone . . . now before anyone jumps all over that, I don't feel like typing out a book of explanations (usual disclaimers apply here) . . . besides, my posts are long winded enough already.


There is an entire realm of amateurs and enthusiasts that have far more time on their hands than the average professional (print graphics or photographer) can bill anyone. Catering to just such an audience has been the steady dumbing down of successive versions of PhotoShop, the introduction of other software choices, and the proliferation of workshops. In fact there are tours of workshops with somewhat familiar names appearing at many places together (Scott Kelby being one of the usual suspects). Ideally when software is introduced, a professional would decide whether it would save time, thus making him/her more productive, garner new clients, due to some previously unavailable feature (though that could be a fad or gimick), or to remain compatible with service providers (printing shops, stock agencies, et al). Amateurs sometimes have the advantage of not needing the expense to be justified in greater productivity, or often have the luxury of not needing to bill out their time behind a computer.

The comment about Desktop Publishing was also relevant, in the rememberance of night schools that pumped out thousands of these people. Many outside the industry notice when things are done poorly, and are less often aware of well done work, so the worst is what garners more public comments. Digital Photography in some ways is the new night school, the next Desktop Publishing. Those with actual industry experience, or who learned their professions at a university, often do a better job and avoid the latest gimick. Unfortunately for publishers of magazines, and organizers of workshops, few of the actual professionals attend these things, or buy more than the occaissional magazine.

I made an early comment about NAPP. At one point in the past, NAPP moved away from what professionals did for their work, or how productivity could be improved; and they moved towards a software journal espousing the latest, and the cutting edge of technology. Then the tutorials became oversimplified and (my opinion) gimicky. I felt NAPP no longer had professional relevance; and I wonder whether this new publication will be any different.

I don't want to come across as criticizing people outside the industry who want to learn these things. Just be aware that there is more to a profession than learning the tools; something probably obvious to those in the business, and maybe missed by those outside it (this could be stated for many professions).

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Marko]

Geez, all this just because of a name! Good thing this happens on a computer board - I'd hate to see this amount of paper being wasted if it were an old fashioned magazine! An analog one, so to speak

Anyway, it's Sunday and there are better things to do than this. I'm out.

[naturephoto1]

Geez, all this just because of a name! Good thing this happens on a computer board - I'd hate to see this amount of paper being wasted if it were an old fashioned magazine! An analog one, so to speak

Anyway, it's Sunday and there are better things to do than this. I'm out.

Unless you are not in the US it is Saturday last I checked.

Rich

[Jim Rice]

I've always respected you Gordon (as I have Marko), but huh?

[Dave Parker]

Hmm,

Still Saturday here as well, Now I am confused ....really!