I heard it again yesterday for the billionth time: “Digital Photography”. Isn’t it time we drop the word ‘digital’?
Seems we’ve managed to drop the “electric” from “electric guitar” in common parlance.
We found it easy to drop the word “acrylic” from “acrylic painting” when that came on the scene with oils.
We quickly ditched the “digital” from “digital music” when it took the lead over records and tapes and CDs.
I suppose by-and-large our industry has dropped the word, but given that digital and analog photography are fundamentally the same thing, isn’t it time we implore the rest of the world to assimilate the term “digital photography” back into “photography” as a whole?
Hey Chase,
Why? The word “digital” is used to define part of the process .. just as the word “photography” does. Using the premise of your post why not just drop the word “photography” and say “art”? Shooting film and shooting digital photography are 2 different processes; I see no reason why those differences shouldn’t be demarcated somehow.
I’ve taught guitar for 20 years, and people use the terms “electric” regularly. It’s a different instrument to an acoustic guitar.
Another reason I think the term ‘digital’ is relevant; it involves an entire realm of ‘stuff’ and process that film does not. A good amount of time and effort in digital photography is sitting at a computer, using tools that aren’t at all photography specific – monitors, hard drives, processors, etc, etc. They are, by construct, tools of the digital world, be it photography, writing, research, whatever.
The term digital is no less relevant that the term “broadband”. 🙂
Cheers
Carl
Photography is a chemical process that creates a tangible image. It was defined as such more than a century ago.
There’s nothing tangible about a digital image, except for the device it’s stored on.
I don’t think the we should change the definition of photography for the sake of modern convenience. The beauty language is its ability to define and distinguish the differences and nuances of the world.
Carl, I didn’t mean to respond directly to you. My bad.
Totally agree! I think in French it is already done though.
I take photographs. My camera happens to be digital. If you print a picture most people (me included) can’t tell the difference
Will this mean we can lose the clunky “D” from DSLR? Please.