Beyond HD

Beyond HD

Take a moment and watch this YouTube video from The Wall Street Journal about the new beyond-HD video cameras — so-called 4k cameras — headed our way.

I find myself wondering about this. Yes, the technology is impressive and even seductive. But, has our culture embraced technological advances at the expense of content? I still believe that no matter how many more pixels we throw at our eyeballs, it is content that is the core of the art experience. I fear I am once again going against the conventional zeitgeist. More pictures, rather than better pictures; larger pictures rather than better pictures; more video resolution rather than better stories — it's the premise of our times.

In the cosmic scale of things, it's far easier to build a more sophisticated gadget with technical wizardry than it is to feel a more sophisticated insight into the human condition. I'm all for new and better tools. I worry, however, that we'll just see more and more detail about less and less wisdom.

Comments

[Andrew]

Have you seen You.Tube? There is no shortage of content! And a lot of it is shot on mobile phones. And BTW a lot of it lacks wisdom ; )

The way I see these new cameras is that they simply lower the price point to create high quality video. For a lot less money (though still not cheap) you can make beautiful films - with great story lines of course.

Content will still differentiate the good from the bad.

[Beau]

I agree with andrew

More pixels wom't affect content. There will still be good and bad content, but the good will really get to shine

[Steve Gledhill]

I suspect it's always been thus, and always will be. New technology, new techniques, new materials all offer us the opportunity for displacement from the real job for image makers - making worthwhile images, whatever 'worthwhile' means for each of us. Not that all the new stuff doesn't provide a stimulus or impetus to creativity. It can and does, it's just that it's an easy excuse for not getting down to the real job - making images. I'm guilty too, but I do try to hold it in check - I know that the only way I get better is by practice, by being fully conversant with my gear, tools and materials so that they don't get in the way. And I've more than reached my size limit - no more pixels for me thanks ... but more dynamic range would be welcome! At the end of the day though good work will always be shine through - so don't worry too much Brooks!

[Alan Huntley]

Brooks, I have to agree with your recent comments regarding more and better technology vs content. For fact, I shoot quite a few pictures with my iPhone (in addition to my big boy cameras), but don't participate in things like Instagram, various Flickr groups, etc, that are out there in cyber-world. Nothing wrong with those outlets mind you I just find the work being done to be all the same; there are exceptions, though. Anyway, I can't help finding myself thinking:

"There is nothing worse than a sharp picture of a fuzzy concept."
- Ansel Adams

[Kristian Bjornstad]

I LOVE your last line... hope you don't mind if I share it! "More and more detail about less and less wisdom."

[David Blanchard]

Is it the Indian or is it the arrow? An age old question, the answer to which is always: yes.

You can parse that again, but this means that sometimes it is the user/photographer/golfer/artist, but sometimes it is the instrument. Don't leave home without it if you don't have to.

[Cemal Ekin]

Brooks, I am in agreement with the general sense of your post, technique or technology should be subservient to photographic vision. Regrettably, the more you look around on the vast content pool of the Internet, the more you find photographs that scream "I know this technique". I will be delivering a speech at a university in Istanbul on May 16 provocatively titled "Abuse of Technique in Photography". Don't get me wrong, I am not arguing for less technological advancement, but more photographic understanding and education. The LensWork group offers ample educational opportunities to photographers, I wish other organizations followed the model. Photo and camera clubs and their national or regional organizations perpetuate the photographic vision that is tied to distance traveled, equipment used, and cliches repeated. I believe the mind photographs and the camera records some of the images. If only we could put more emphasis on the "mind" and less on the "camera".

I have a few related posts:

http://www.keptlight.com/2011/07/on-photography/
http://www.keptlight.com/2011/08/the-soft-focus-effect/
http://www.keptlight.com/2012/02/what-is-hdr/