Are prints dead?

sineadw

Just throwing this one out for discussion..

Yesterday I mentioned to my 7 yr old that we might be going to a photography meet together (the film meet), and I was going to get him his very own camera to use. My plan is to get him a disposable and leave it in for 1 hr processing. When I told him he'd be getting photographs of what he took his eyes opened about a foot wide and I may as well have been telling him elephants and unicorns would follow. It was a bit of a shock - he genuinely had NO idea that photographs came from cameras - all he's ever seen (apart from the *extremely* odd and very belated 12x8 on pre-cut mount I get for camera club) are shots on a screen.

It got me thinking about a lecture we had a few weeks ago. It was about how neuroscience believes the brain began to be hard-wired differently with the advent of the printing press and the decline of oral narrative tradition (we were suddenly freed from the restrictions of memory and our brains started to build synaptic pathways differently), and the possible conclusions we can now draw with the rise of the internet and non-linear narratives - we no longer read stories from start to end, but as a series of interconnected links. Our brains may well be evolving to meet this.

I was just wondering if imagery and art will be the same? Will we no longer rely on the static, but expect interaction and animation and graphical interfaces? Are prints dead?

Just wondering

Slidinginfinity

I hope not. I still enjoy looking though prints with friends and family rather then on a screen. You can pass them around and not everyone has to be looking at the same thing at the same time.

CabanSail

I certainly hope that they aren't dead.

The digital age has made images on screens very popular & it came as a surprise to me that many people see that as the end point of their images. It was when we had the Boards Exhibition earlier in the year that a lot of people commented on how much better many of the images looked when they were printed.

The print has a lot of advantages that screen images lack. As they are not reliant on any other device they are what they are. The screen image will vary from device to device, even if they are all calibrated. There is also a lot more detail that cane be expressed in print than on screen. Then there is the added dimension of texture, which can make a huge difference to an image. The choice of gloss, matt, pearl, fine art, etc can give a big difference to the whole mood of an image.

The Print is King. Long live the Print

sineadw

I agree completely! But what I'm getting at is more than just images being displayed on a screen versus on paper. Its the whole immersion process of viewing static images full stop maybe? My sons expect images to DO things. Even if that's just to change in a slideshow.

xia

Looking at my niece (6) and how she uses my camera and as soon as a picture is taken wants to see it, it's obvious that digital is absolutely normal for her and she probably will be shocked if I someday take pictures with a film camera. And she will grow up with mobiles, computers and internet so she will take them for granted and as if they were always available .
I think, that's normal. For todays children film cameras are like for us e.g. silent films.
But I don't think prints are dead. And your boy and my niece will learn that there is not just digital. Especially knowing how many people tend to go back to film nowadays (at least those who take not just holiday snaps).

ThOnda

I do understand it as a generation gap. How many kids saw a LP record and record player? A tape deck?
We use and see pictures on screen because it is easy, cheaper, more convenient and faster. The new age is about the speed. The same charming formulae used at least 100 years.

I don't think that your young fella is missing something. You are modern mother therefore he grew up in surroundings (also) of technology, fast paced photographic trade and city area. It is your surroundings that forms you. If I didn't grow up in the village, I might not hate making hay

And don't forget, that although is is smart and bright, he is still learning and finding what the world around him could offer.

The post clearly shows that I should not be typing after drinking few litres of green tea...

stcstc

Firstly i hope ********** not!!!!!


secondly, from the rate my business is growing i dont think prints are dead by any standard

if anything i would think its growing, but maybe not like small 6*4 type stuff like you would do of every shot, but more bigger stuff that people will hang on the wall rather than stuff in an album and put in the loft

ThOnda

Steve, I think that you are absolutely right. There was quite long period when you got almost mandatory 36 pictures with every film from local pharmacy and the relief that you don't have to pay for it is just fantastic. However Shooting the vast amount of pictures and processing them digitally, I am finding it very hard to convince myself to select (mark, copy) pictures I would like to have printed as a small prints. Just to have them. I just have them in electronic form. Well, in my case, it is not a pity, but still
And don't worry, your work and your satisfied customers speak for yourself. I only wish I could print more.

pixbyjohn

Looking at the offers in the various Pharmacies and the amount of machines where you can get an instant print nowadays it appears that prints are being sought more than ever. I was in Harvey Normans in Carrickmines today browsing and saw in the Photo section a very large Epsom rolling out A1 canvas prints, and they are not cheap. I asked the guy was there a lot of business and he said yes there was.
Back in the days when I was a young lad we used to leave our roll of film in the local chemist's shop and wait about 8 or 9 days to get our snaps back. Photos on a roll were taken over a long period of time, unlike todays snappers. A good photo in print has more appeal than an onscreen version I think.

smelltheglove

For the majority of people I think prints are still the way to go but for photographers I feel we dont feel the need to print quite as much, we see our work on screen and in a large part deliver digital images, however I really enjoy seeing the prints, just today I visited my sister, I had given her a disc of her babys christening last week and there was a nice little album sitting on the side table. I almost felt like I was looking at new images as print gives so much more than a computer screen. I know I for one have to get my act together and print more often.

Chorcai

I hope not either while the advent of digital camera seems to have open up the photo world to people I still think alot of people do get their photos printed. Sister law is frantic about this, since she once formated her memory card by mistake so she now prints everything out regardless of how good/bad the photo is.

I have a disposable camera here your more than welcome to it Ill bring it along for the lad.

Cosmo K

Print is definitely not dead, at least not for me. I get most of my better shots printed (Aldiphoto), and I also get some stuff framed, some pictures really come to live, when you see them in a nice frame.

Want to get some high quality prints done (not Aldi;) ), still looking for a good print studio here in the Wesht.

stcstc

gimmie a shout i have a few clients in the west i can help you etc

PaulieC

i just got an 8x70(odd) print from steve and i can say that print is most definitely not dead

stcstc

paul

it was 59"*8, it looked very cool too, hope the gran loved its and you put it up above her sofa for her

PaulieC

will be giving it tomorrow. i'll bring me drill!

sineadw

59x8?!? Wow! I'd love to see that

PaulieC

Sinead, i will hang it today and take a pic. it truly is an impressive piece of work (the printing i mean)