Impact of Digital Photography

The digital age has had a great impact on the world of photography, but not all factors are bad. 


For example, many people think that because anyone can have access to a camera and press a button and produce a photograph, there is no longer any skill left in photography. This is perhaps both true and false. On one hand, because photographs can be uploaded to a computer by a simple click of a mouse, the darkroom craft is dying out, and therefore producing a fine quality print requires little or no effort/skill. 
On the other hand, the fact that anyone can get their hands on a camera (thanks to Kodak in the 1950s) means that more people can be introduced to the art form - photograph is a lot more accessible. However, the "point-and-shoot" nature of today's amateur photographers, means that the old way of F-stops and Shutter Speeds is being lost to Auto-Modes and Scene-Settings, which means that although it is easier to take a professional looking photo with the correct exposure, people don't know how to experiment with in-camera settings, and instead take to editing software.


A lot of the effects that can be achieved in a darkroom can be replicated using editing software, such as Photoshop, and with video tutorials only a Google search away, it's never been easier for people to teach themselves simple tricks of the trade. This means the skill of being able to edit prints in a darkroom is becoming less of a general practice and more of a speciality for


Another advantage of being able to upload photographs quickly and effectively onto a computer, is that in the work place, photographers are able to produce results quicker - no hours spent slaving in a darkroom - therefore it is time and cost effective (no film has to be bought, photographic paper, ect.)