Photography in the Digital Age

Many new forms of publishing are emerging as the digital age continues to wow us with new technologies. Uploading, downloading, streaming, browsing - the internet has made viewing content faster and more accessible than ever before.

One such form of publishing is photography. The changes in this medium have been huge, as not only has photography moved from film to digital, the way we view photography has moved from printed hard copy to online images. This shift has affected many aspects of photography, as content is viewed, interpreted and used in different ways.

Moving to more online platforms, single images are now accessible globally. Sharing photos is no longer a private event, as photo hosting sites including PinInterest, Instagram, Flickr, PhotoBucket and even Facebook allow users to publically share photos with fellow internet users. This has expanded the potential audience infinitely, as this is not just limited to friends and family overseas, but as long as the content is declared public, can be seen by literally anyone.

In this way, the production of content and subject matter in photography has changed also as people are tailoring their photos to their audiences. The immediacy of internet sharing has seen photography become more about candidly capturing an event or a moment, rather than staging an elaborate and carefully considered shoot. Younger generations especially are, in many instances, more concerned with the quantity of the images they are sharing rather than the quality. Social media platforms are used as vehicles for image sharing, or rather a visual diary of someone’s daily life.

Additionally, technology has contributed to photography becoming more digitally enhanced and edited and less ‘raw’, as society struggles to imitate perfection by creating manufactured identities and landscapes. Is this then a false representation of reality? Or does digital enhancement motivate us to improve aspects of our lives in pursuit of these ideals? 

The possibilities of extreme photoshop: Before (right) and after (left)

Image Sources:
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<http://activerain.com/blogsview/2182791/taking-pictures-of-your-home-4-simple-tips-for-getting-the-best-picture-of-your-house>