Wrapping Up Photography in 2024

Hello folks. This kind of article is not unique in concept and the only thing that is unique is that it is wholly an opinion piece. My opinions, and you are under no requirement or expectation to agree, and if you think I’m nuts, that’s ok.

So what was new in photography in 2024?

Not a thing. Certainly some makers debuted new models or new versions of old lenses but at a fundamental level, camera technology has done mostly nothing for the last several years. Sure there are some features that some people rave about, but they don’t build better images, they are just another gadget in the computer that we call a camera.

What’s New in Post Processing

Sadly the answer here is not nothing because we all were drowned under the weight of the enormous lie called Artificial Intelligence. Artificial certainly. Intelligent, no. Lots of yelling about the greatness of AI, but the reality of where these so called AI tools get the content for their needed massive datasets to serve their algoritms is ignored or more likely buried.

You see an AI algorithmic matrix needs a lot of data to reference, and the vast majority of that data is basically stolen. No credit and no compensation is given to the actual creators. Some companies, such as Adobe, admitted that their AI tools use the images from Adobe Stock. What a great deal for Adobe. Pay next to nothing for the sale for use of a stock supplier’s content and use that content to build your AI tools and content from them that is then sold on Adobe Stock competing with the people who created the work used in the data set. Thieves and pond scum, that’s Adobe.

Be assured that all AI requires massive data sets and creators are not being paid. AI is a giant scam requiring the theft of intellectual property and the majority are so fundamentally stupid that they think being ripped off, or using the work of others that have been ripped off is a good idea.

Beyond that, there is absolutely NOTHING new in post processing software.

Third Party Lenses

In 2024, it became more possible to purchase excellent third party lenses for your mirrorless camera as Canon finally got their heads out of their collective buttholes and licensed the R mount. Canon’s own R lenses are excellent, but they are expensive. Given how people use their images these days, even if the Canon or Nikon branded lenses, for example, are optically better, no human will even see it on their low resolution computer or smartphone screens. Spending a ton on glass when only a tiny percentage of photographers print is a complete waste of money.

Printed Photographs

Printing continues on life support. There remain some very good commercial printing houses and while Epson and Canon still build excellent photographic printers, there has been ZERO innovation in this space. Printer ink remains the most expensive liquid on the planet and print heads still get jammed up resulting in massive ink waste trying to clean them. You would think that after 20+ years, someone would have figuted out how to switch out the ink feeds for a high pressure cleaning cycle that used an actual piezo flush to clean heads, but it hasn’t happened, because the printer makers, generate 1000 points of margin on ink. There’s a word for that. I think it’s assholes.

The Practice of Photography

I am very lucky to operate and participate in my town’s photographic club. I get to see superbly crafted work, and the club members made the decision to be photographers not snapshotters. Many of them accept monthly assignments to build their skills and then share their successes. They engage in the practice of photography.

Of course the vast majority of people outside dedicated clubs who call themselves photographers actually aren’t. Nice folks I’m sure, but they are taking snapshots, not creating art. There is NOTHING wrong with taking snapshots. They are the quickest and cheapest memory makers anyone can find, but a snapshot is taken and not made and it ain’t art.

Cameras in Phones

We have reached the point that the fact that a smartphone can make phone calls is its least used function. I watch people every day, oblivious to the world around them and the people right beside them with their faces buried in their phones. But they take lots of pictures, over a billion every day. And over 99% of them forgotten within an hour. Cameras in phones have gotten much better technologically but they still cannot make a real photograph. There is negligible control over the elements of exposure, depth of field, or even focus. They are the 126, 110 and Disc cameras of today and while their quality is substantially better than those horrible film systems, without any control, their only use is a snapshot. Sticking a filter or special effect on something is not creative, it’s just lazy.

Video Is Undead

When I look at what manufacturers have put the most into in their still cameras, it is video by a large margin. Yet the data tells us that over 90% of interchangeable lens camera owners have never used the video function and never will. These same people will make videos on their cameraphones however and do so a lot, just like all the snapshotters. Why isn’t video being adopted on interchangeable lens cameras and given the spectacular lack of uptake, why do the camera makers put so much into the video capabilities of their products? Is it because there’s nothing more for them to do with stills? Yup. Pretty Much. Video in your interchangeable lens camera is like a zombie. It’s dead but still walking. But that is entirely due to the lack of creative spirit in the user.

Social Media is a Pox on Creativity

I keep being told that social media is the future of art. To this I say that if this is true, art is in for a world of hurt. Social media exalts the bottom of the barrel. It encourages commentary from people so stupid they forget to wipe themselves after going to the toilet. I don’t use social media myself, but I regularly get emails with images and videos from well-meaning folks that are so horrific, I fear for humanity. Social media is the most divisive, insulting, global crapfest and if you aspire to being truly creative, show yourself some respect and get the hell off it. Facebook, Instapuke and TikTokYou’reAMoron are wastelands for creatives.

People Photographs Last Longest

While I have the pleasure to see many wonderful photographs regularly, most of what I see are landscapes, wildlife, flora and other fauna. Nothing wrong with any of those things but for the long term they don’t have legs. They are not timeless. Photographs of people can be timeless. I don’t mean photos of vacuous personalities or celebutards, I mean photos of real people, living their lives. They don’t even have to be family, and some of the finest in history are not related to the photographer at all. We’re human and we like to see other humans. Do I like to see a beautiful landscape? Certainly. But would I prefer to see some street work such as those images made by my friend Becki? Yes I would. Because a great photograph has an emotional context to it and as humans we respond most to the emotions we read in the face of another human. Most really creative photographers eschew people photos, often because we are not type A personalities. This is too bad, because there is an amazing world right around us. And we could even engage with it.

Competitions

While I remain an accredited judge, I believe the whole idea of photographic competition is a load of bullshit, and this is emphasized by how many photo contests want to exclude “the hand of man”. This hatred for the humans that have made our world is, to my mind, the height of insanity. Without the work and creativity of humans, the world would be very pretty but utterly bereft of development, culture, craft and growth. And there would still be climate change.

If you like a photograph, for your own reasons, that is all that matters. Did Renoir or Van Gogh paint to enter contests arbitrated by egomanical wingnuts? Did Rodin sculpt to win a ribbon? If you want material recognition for your art, get someone to pay you for it. Everything else is pee pee caca no substance.

Closing Out 2024

If photography matters to you, go make photographes. Go be in interesting places with interesting people and make images. If you like what you do, it is good. If you do not like it, discard it and move on. The only opinion that matters is your own, everything else is just white noise.

I write these articles and make the podcast episodes because it pleases me to do so, and the numbers suggest that others like them as well. You’re under no obligation to read or listen, but if you do and respect what I do, even if you from time to time vehemenently disagree., please click this link or the button below to become a monthly donor to my work on Patreon. Doing this work is not simple. It is time consuming and if I didn’t want to do it, I’d fold it up in an instant. So be a good person and help me out if you can.

As always, no AI horse dung was used in the creation of this content and all artwork was created by and licensed from REAL people. I NEVER use any AI generated BS on my sites and unless I suffer some mental breakdown, never will.

Until next time.