I Can't Wait

Things have changed in photography. It has only been about 12 years since film.  Back then we waited for the film to be shipped back to us and next time we adjusted.  Today we look at the histogram on the back of the camera and make an adjustment here and there. Histogram and photography, who woulda thought.  It seems like yesterday it was 24 exposures and that was it.  Today it is 100, 1000 exposures.  We had to remember to take our cameras, not our phones. Back then professional photographers were few and far between.  Today, well, everyone is a pro or thinks they are.  Back then we sent off a slide or a negative and waited for the 8x10, and if the results were good we showed a few of our closest friends.  Today people we don't know take a peak.  We even seek out the pics of others.  Remember the jokes about going over to someones house and looking at the vacation pics.  The jokes always alluded to the boredom.  Today we don't wait until the end of the vacation.  We are transported there via smart phone.   I have to admit I like seeing people's travel photos.  Sometimes it is with great envy.  I recently read it took Ansel Adams years to perfect his Moonrise photograph.  (I never was exposed to the darkroom, but wish I had been.  I suspect some of you miss those days.)  Today in minutes we can fix a pic.  Want your ex out of a group pic?  Sure why not.  I want blue eyes?  OK.  There use to be an argument about Kodachrome and Velvia.  The former had more natural colors and the latter more saturated.  Today saturation has been taken to a whole new level.   In fact with post processing the viewer is often seeing an altered reality.  I like the many of the changes but there is one thing I miss the most.

There is something about anticipation.  Waiting, hoping that things will be as you want them to be.  As a child waiting for Christmas hoping for just the right things to be under the tree.  It was that way when I shot with film.  I sent off what I was sure were world class pics to be processed and waited in anticipation.  Today I look on the back of the camera and a short time later they are on the computer. Then I post them on FB or some other internet circus.  There is just no anticipation.  I miss the anticipation.