Where do you see your photographs in 5 years?
It used to be said that “today’s moments are tomorrow’s memories,” and that’s what photos are, moments in time captured on film. But let’s face it, in the world of the cell phone camera, today’s moments are just today’s moments. Did you know that in 2014, a Mary Meeker report on annual trends reported that Americans uploaded 657 billion photos? That’s more than the number of photos that existed in the first 150 years of photography!
Photos have long been a means of preserving special moments in our lives, of capturing the beautiful and the sublime, of seeing the world through an artist’s eye. But the ubiquity of the cell phone snap has led to a growing stockpile of images that are meaningless. I mean, how often do you actually return to those photos stored on your phone. In fact, photos have become another form of chat, you know, cast away banter to be forgotten.
Indeed, camera sales are on the decline. Gone is the era of the photo album. We store today’s photos in the cloud, where they can languish with the billions of other shots of dinners we’ve eaten, the walks we’re on, or, heaven forbid, another kissy-faced, peace-sign selfie. But if you’re a fan of old school photography, don’t despair. Recent trends suggest that print photos are making a comeback.
Dispo, a new app that tries to mimic the disposable camera at a party, for example, has received a lot of attention even though it is only in beta testing. With Google Photos June 1st announcement that it would be dropping its unlimited photo backup we’ve lost a final refuge for storing the endless stream of inane photos that we now take daily, perhaps making us pause and consider more how each snap is one less on the reel, like in the old days.
Technology is also making high quality cameras more compact and available. With the increasing incorporation of AI into systems, cameras will not be limited by memory cards and will offer AI adjustments that will return the artistry to photography. One amazing possibility for the future of photos is the incorporation of 3D-technology that might allow us to essentially walk around our favorite captured moments.
So why let our most treasured moments slip into the digital vaults of today’s cell technology? We already know that technology can fail, that hard drives can crash, that cloud sites can be hacked. A lost phone these days often means a loss of all our photos, even if we don’t look at them. If a moment is worth preserving, then why not preserve it by having a professional print it? Not every moment, but the truly memorable ones, the photos of loved ones, the snaps of amazing places we’ve been, that candid that captured the moment perfectly.
Professional photographers are artists that can truly make those prints something worth hanging on the wall. And with today’s technology there are so many amazing options, from canvas framing to metal and acrylic prints that will transform photos into unusual conversation pieces. So rather than assign your photos to the oubliettes of cloud space, consider working with a professional who has years of experience with lighting, lenses, what to wear; who is adept at working with editing software to optimize your photo; and who can create stunning prints that are truly meant to last?
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Ivan Young is a writer from Happy Writers, Co. in partnership with Faxage, the online faxing service.
In partnership with Bailey Fett Photography
