Iceland Countryside, by Ken Duquaine
Ken Duquaine
Throughout its roughly 200-year history, photography has evolved in large part due to technological developments. Clearly, the pace of that evolution has increased exponentially. The same may be said about post-processing and editing capabilities.
Modern smartphone cameras with their multiple lenses, state-of-the-art sensors, and sophisticated AI features have taken them to a level of development that rivals the finest traditional cameras. An example is a photo that was taken on Iceland’s Ring Road with a seven-year-old single-lens smartphone camera from a vehicle at 40 miles per hour. Together, the smartphone camera and social media have democratized the art of photography to a point where anyone today is capable of taking a credible image.
Does this democratization represent a dumbing-down of the art form? Does the sheer number of photos shared on social media sites such as Instagram have an effect on the public’s taste and appreciation for truly excellent images? Does the desire for “likes” influence even serious or professional photographers when making decisions on what to take and how to present an image? While the opportunity to share a serious photographer’s best work with a global audience via social media is advantageous, does it carry a price?
Post-processing programs such as Photoshop and Lightroom have revolutionized how photographers approach the presentation of their creations. Photography as an art has the ability to make reality more real. It has long been associated with the idea of dramatically representing the truth of reality. The extent to which AI has increased our ability to manipulate reality in the art of post-processing, however, creates important ethical considerations. At what point does photographic manipulation cross an ethical boundary line? What are the ethical and moral responsibilities of the photographer in taking and presenting their work?
Many venues forbid professional photography for various reasons, generally involving possible commercial use. Often, when monitoring such activities, however, it is assumed that people taking photos with a cell phone aren’t professional photographers, so they’re not challenged. Should a professional photographer armed with a smartphone take his photos knowing that he can? Obviously, far more serious implications come into play when it comes to photographing people or manipulating photos that are intended to depict them in places or activities that are contrary to the truth.
The technical development of photography has reached a level that generates more creative and ethical questions than answers. Going forward, that technology will increasingly challenge our ability to maintain the integrity of the art form that we all love.
The Sun Lakes Camera Club (SLCC) meets on the second and fourth Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Lecture Hall of the Cottonwood Country Club from October through April. For more information about the SLCC and its activities, contact SLCC President Ken Duquaine at 248-342-0790 or [email protected], or past President Samantha Rose Palmatier at 907-727-0334 or [email protected], and visit our website at www.sunlakescameraclub.com.