Since the invention of the digital camera in the early 1990’s, the opportunities for amateur photographers to become successful have significantly increased. The digital age has nearly consumed traditional photography and film development. When taking up photography, one must ask themselves the question: digital or film? Fashion photographer, Jason Christopher, assists in weighing the pros and cons of both forms of photography.
“By learning how to use a film camera, you are using the fundamentals of photography and the basic principles of how to create a photograph,” Jason explains.

“You need to learn about shutter speeds and aperture. Shutter speed controls ambient light. Aperture controls depth of field. You can also darken a photo with aperture. People who buy a digital camera don’t [necessarily] know any of this stuff. They just put it on automatic and get a decent photo.”

Framing your subject within the shot and paying attention to lighting situations and the overall composition before snapping the photo ensures minimal editing in the aftermath of the shoot. Some photographers carelessly snap numerous photos of the same scenario in the hopes of capturing their vision in one of the photographs.
“I call it the ‘shoot-and-pray’ method,” Jason laughs. “You just keep shooting and pray that you get a few good images out of it. It’s a waste of time. Your model is going to get bored, and you’re going to look like you don’t know what you’re doing…because you don’t.”

Before the digital age began dominating the realm of photography, photographers were given an average of 36 images per film roll, in which to contain their desired images. Having attempted traditional photography myself, I understand the disappointment that comes with inexperience. If the film doesn’t develop properly for any reason, your images are forever obliterated. If the camera settings are askew, the photographs may end up blurry. This may be a major problem when traveling long distances to photograph a model or object. In situations such as these, digital photography is particularly beneficial.

“The benefits [of digital photography] are cost; you don’t have to buy any film. Another benefit is instant gratification. You see the images right away.”

In spite of the added benefits, Jason still prefers the traditional method.

“I hate the invention of digital cameras. I wish it never happened,” Jason says.

Photography must be learned properly in order to be appreciated. If the camera is on “automatic” and the photographs being created are decent in quality, there leaves little necessary room for improvement. The best thing to do is learn from the ground up, especially if you plan on making photography a career.

“My advice? Take workshops. If you can’t afford a workshop, there are lots of online sites that explain photography. There are so many ways to learn photography. Take your digital camera and turn off the LCD [Liquid Crystal Display] setting. Don’t look at [the instant image that appears on the back of it once you have taken a picture]. Only shoot 36 frames per subject. Then, go back and compare then. Instead of shooting and looking at the image, shoot and shoot and shoot. Then, go back and look at your images and see what you did wrong. Or, buy an old, cheap, film camera and learn to shoot film.”

Learning the essential elements of photography will enable the photographer to create more vibrant images with less “doctoring” of photos after the shoot. Nevertheless, the true composition of photographs is an art slowly becoming dissolved by the elements of Photoshop and eight gigabyte memory cards.

“Ultimately, the real art of photography is fading fast.”