Photography is a world in continuous evolution that is constantly influenced by a reality very close to it: technology. If photography already seemed to have been overturned by the advent of digital technology, in the last decade and with increasing speed, it has had to face the introduction of smartphones into the lives of every person. Cell phones, which nowadays more than a tool are considered real companions of life, make it possible to take pictures very close in quality to those of a professional photographer using targeted tools.
The smartphones on the market today, offer performance until recently unthinkable. These are tools that allow you to take photos at will, edit them instantly, insert filters and publish them immediately on the web.
Undoubtedly this has had a profound effect on the habits of those who “play” for pleasure or passion with photography.
Once upon a time there was film
Photography in the last twenty years has witnessed enormous changes. With the beginning of the new millennium we have seen a gradual transition from film to digital, so much so that today film has practically disappeared. In the last few years, moreover, we are witnessing another phenomenon, that of the sharing of photographs and especially of the photography made with smartphones.
On the one hand, photography has never been as widespread as it is today: we take pictures of everything, from restaurant plates to people on the street, up to the famous selfie. On the other hand, however, we are witnessing a deterioration of photographic quality; despite the power of smartphones and their ability to process images has greatly increased, in fact, nothing can be compared to the quality of an Reflex, much more complex and sophisticated.
Every year, 1.2 trillion digital photos are taken, or about 160 images for every inhabitant of the planet. It has been calculated that, overall, the same number of photos were taken in the first hundred years since the birth of photography.
But what is the reason for this sudden boom in photography? Certainly the three symptoms of Social Network Syndrome:vanity, the desire for social proof and the idea that only what was photographed really happened, are a relevant factor; but the fact that more than a billion people constantly carry a smartphone with a built-in camera is probably the factor that contributes most to the exponential spread of digital photos.
“The best camera is the one that’s with you.”
Chase Jarvis.
The so-called analogue photography, which resists only in the professional field, has therefore faded away, both for the excessive costs and for the times now totally speeded up by digital. In part, the market for instant photographs has also disappeared, the dear and evocative polaroids, photographs that, at the push of a button, immediately took on life, form and color, as if by magic.
Has the Smartphone now replaced the traditional camera? Not quite. It has become, however, a secondary tool as a good ergonomic alternative to the camera in times of need. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons:
The pros:
– Comfort and lightness.
– possibility “in extremis” to take pictures, compared to the camera that must be brought and equipped in time.
– Introduction of the RAW format. This element gives the possibility to have a better format that allows to regulate in a deeper way lights and shadows.
The cons:
– as a primary tool is difficult to use for professional purposes.
– limitation on the quality of photographs.
– slower shutter speed.
Five tips for taking better pictures
– Lens cleaning: Having a dirty lens means you have an unexpected filter that limits the incoming light that ends up on the image sensor for capturing the final photo.
– The rule of thirds: The basic principle of the rule of thirds is to think of dividing the image into three parts, both horizontally and vertically, in order to create 9 sections for the scene you want to frame and photograph.
– Digital zoom: In recent years, smartphones have shown a multiplication of cameras in them, with specific optical groups dedicated to the type of photos to be taken. On the same smartphone you can find cameras with short focal lengths and more suitable for shooting a landscape, or with longer focal lengths to take pictures of distant subjects.
– The use of HDR: In photography, the HDR function is used to automatically balance the exposure of most of the elements in a scene so that none of them is underexposed or overexposed.
– Manual exposure adjustment: In the absence of good HDR, you can intervene manually on the exposure. To prioritize the exposure of a subject taken by the camera, simply touch the screen with your finger at the point where you want to assign the priority, but it will also focus the touched point.
Technology is an indispensable aid, but the difference is not in the sophistication of the tool available, “the eye”, in fact, remains the means that allows you to observe and capture the best moment through the camera or Smartphone that is. You don’t become a photographer thanks to a good camera or to a Smartphone with the best camera on the market, what counts is our eye, our research, what we want to transmit.
Mariachiara Proietti Di Fulvio
