More schools are offering photography at A level this year. It's not just the easy access to digital camera's and Photoshop either as many offer both chemical as well as digital processing: although the sheer ubiquity of digital photography must have something to do with it. It is curious that, although it could be done digitally, teachers are prepared to fight for the dedicated darkroom space, cost of equipment, chemicals and cameras that are required for 'real' photography.
Superficially it seems perverse and talking to teachers, there is often only a rather vague assertion, that in some ways digital is good for you, to justify the extra effort. But, on reflection I cannot recall taking a good photograph with any digital camera - although I used to be quite good with my old SLR. Talking to teachers tonight (at the Amersham school 'A' level exhibition) I begin to see the point. It is not so much in illustrating the original meaning of cropping and dodging and, to be frank, the magic of chemical developing is only a transient pleasure. But what was apparent in the photographs of these students was a practice which used a camera and viewfinder to search, frame and capture a particular, unique and transitory event - I guess it may be the only legitimate use of the awful phrase 'moment in time'. These photographs were simply different to the point and click, scatter gun, approach of most digital photographs. Images had been thoughtfully pursued and captured, not opportunistically grabbed and processed after the event.
Whether it is worth the full paraphernalia of the darkroom is still a moot point but I recognise that I really do need to buy a digital SLR.
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