The Talents of Edward Weston and Paul Strand

By Diego Morones-Castillo

In the late 1800s, there were born two prolific American photographers, whose careers as such were so influential that their pioneering in the field of photography validated it as an art form of an American approach. Those photographers are, of course, Edward Weston and Paul Strand, whose combined years as photographers span a touch over a century, and whose styles are very much their own, with the former focusing on landscapes, and nudes, the latter focusing on abstractions, and their combined niche being still lifes.

A young Edward Weston taking a selfportrait || Date: circa 1915 (Age: approx. 29)

Edward Weston, born in 1886 in Illinois, unofficially began his career of photography at the age of sixteen, when – in 1902 – he was gifted a Kodak Bulls-Eye #2; a simple black box of a camera that, according to biographer Ben Maddow, was his only friend during his youth, as he was a “bashful, restless, and somewhat morose boy who hated school” (International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum). From the years of 1911 to 1922, his soft-focus photography earned him many awards, though he would become dissatisfied with his work after attending The San Francisco World’s Fair in 1915. This led him to the decision to take a more abstract approach in his photography, with his major inspirations being Margrethe Mather, a model and assistant of his, and John Hagemeyer, a Dutch photographer of Amsterdam. Weston’s new style led him to create his second studio in Mexico City alongside his at-the-time apprentice, Tina Modotti. Modotti would introduce him to the pioneers of the Renaissance of Mexican photography, such as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Jose Clemente Orzco, who inspired his direction even further, and receive raving reviews from critics in the country. He returned to his home in Glendale, California briefly in 1925 for a series of close-ups before returning to Mexico City for a year with Modotti and his son Brett, and finally returning once more to Glendale to begin his studies of close-ups, nudes, and landscapes.

South Shore, Point Lobos || Date: 1938

Dunes, Oceano || Date: 1938

Nude || Date: 1937

SHELLS || Date: 1928

Paul Strand as photographed by Alfred Siteglitz || Date: 1917 (Age: 27)

Born in New York in 1890 to Czechoslovakian parents, Paul Strand received his first camera at the age of twelve. However, Strand would not officially develop an interest in the career until high school, when he met his future mentor, Alfred Stieglitz, through his sociology and photography teacher, Lewis W. Hine. This meeting, along with Hine’s progressive teachings, inspired Strand, at the age of seventeen, with an intention to become an artist in photography. The following year, he had joined Camera Club of New York, where he began to experiment with soft-focus lenses (which gave his photography a painting-like quality), gum bichromate prints, and enlarged negatives. Like Weston, Paul Strand also focused on live subjects, though his would be of dressed and of a more candid approach, capturing the average people of New York who were unaware of his photographing them. This was made all the more easier when he carried his specially-designed camera, which had a fake front lens and a small real lens off to the side. Having grown up in New York, he was “naturally drawn to the dynamism of the city and its people” (Mutti, How paul strand paved the way for photographic modernism).

Wall Street, New York || Date: 1915

Chruch, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico || Date: 1930

The Court, New York || Date: 1924

Blind Woman, New York || Date: 1916

Sources:

Konica Minolta, Meg Weston. (2023, August 24). Edward Weston. International Photography Hall of Fame. https://iphf.org/inductees/edward-weston/

Mutti, G. (2016, March 15). How paul strand paved the way for photographic modernism. AnOther. https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/8482/how-paul-strand-paved-the-way-for-photographic-modernism

Compare & Contrast: Two Surrealism Photographers

By: Brady Smith

In photography and art, I have always been intrigued by strange and unsettling images. Surrealism embodies this. The style “aims to portray a subject in a way beyond reality. Most photographers describe it as weird, dreamy, or fantastical.” (Liu, Para. 4). The photographers that I have decided to write about have mastered the art of making subjects that may appear mundane at first glance to have a mysterious quality and invoke strange feelings in the viewer.

Dunes, Oceano, (1936), Edward Weston

Cabbage Leaf, (1931), Edward Weston

Pepper No. 30, (1930), Edward Weston

Onion Halved, (1930), Edward Weston

The Octopus Tree, (1951), Clarence John Laughlin

Moss Fingers, (1946), Clarence John Laughlin

The Magnificent Spiral, (1949), Clarence John Laughlin

Mother Brown, (1948), Clarence John Laughlin

Edward Weston’s surreal photographs are among my favorites. Weston is not remembered by most for his surreal photos. He is remembered for being one of the pioneers of the American modernist style that is still seen today. Weston and other famous photographers at his time created “the f/64 group, which greatly influenced the aesthetics of American photography.” (Weston Gallery, para. 1). Weston’s “restless pursuit of his art created a body of work that ranged over nudes, still lifes, industrial scenes, portraiture, landscapes, and any other subject that touched his visual imagination.” (Weston Gallery, para. 3). What stands out to me about Weston’s surreal photographs is that they are often of natural occurrences found in nature. In the “Dunes, Oceana” photograph, a natural occurrence in nature is observed that also depicts life by my perception. The shapes that are made in the windswept dune look to me like a group of people walking with animals. In “Cabbage Leaf”, I perceive the vegetable to be the back of a woman’s head with her long hair flowing behind her. In “Pepper No. 30” a similar phenomenon can be observed, although, this one disturbs me more. The pepper resembles a human body with two heads and is contorted and deformed which gives me an uneasy feeling. In “Onion Halved”, the innards of the onion sparkle like diamonds and gives me the illusion of great depth in the photo. I am amazed by Weston’s ability to make the natural seem unnatural and make inanimate objects seem alive. Through these techniques, I think that Weston makes for a great surrealism photographer.

Another photographer who I think captures the surrealism genre very well is Clarence John Laughlin. Laughlin is remembered as a “writer, artist, photographer, and book collector from New Orleans, Louisiana. Credited as the first surrealist photographer in the United States, Laughlin is best known for his images of the American South” (Clarence John Laughlin Collections: Biography, Para. 1). Laughlin’s images are similar to Weston’s surrealist photography because they often depict natural occurrences in nature in a way that can be disturbing or have a hidden meaning. A similarity can be seen in Laughlin’s photograph titled “The Octopus Tree”. The use of lighting makes the dead tree appear to be as a dead octopus sunken in the depths of the sea. The image unsettles me. His use of black-and-white in his photos adds to them greatly since he utilizes shadows in many of his photos. The image titled “Moss Fingers” produces a similar effect. The lighting is masterful. The sun appears to be behind the tree on a cloudy day which makes the tree shadowy and dark. I perceive the image as a giant hand of a creature grabbing the old building. Laughlin also uses a lot of old architecture in his images as seen in many of his photographs of the old American South. The image titled “The Magnificent Spiral” depicts a roofless building with the staircase giving the illusion of it going on forever. He is a master at using architecture to tell a story which differs from many of Weston’s photographs who seems to prefer fruits, vegetables, and natural landscape for his surrealist pieces. Another photograph that he took was called “Mother Brown”, which depicts an older woman wearing a cross around her neck while the shadow of a scythe is angled around her. I perceive this image’s meaning as a testimony to the woman’s faith in God. She is wearing a cross yet seems unbothered by the scythe that appears around her through shadows. This gives me the impression that she is not afraid of death and that her faith will protect her. I think this may be one of the best examples of Laughlin utilizing shadows in his photos. I will be using both of these photographers as inspiration for photographs I take in the future.

References

Clarence John Laughlin Collections: Biography. (n.d.). Louisiana State University. guides.lib.lsu.edu. https://guides.lib.lsu.edu/c.php?g=1287357&p=9453215

Liu, Alina. (2022, August 21). How to Do Surrealism Photography: 18 Practical Techniques and Tips. katebackdrop.com. https://www.katebackdrop.com/blogs/creative-ideas/surrealism-photography-techniques-tipss

Weston Gallery. (n. d.). Edward Weston. westongallery.com. https://www.westongallery.com/original-works-by/edward-weston

Comparing and Contrasting the Documentary Photography Styles of Gordon Parks and Walker Evans

Gordon Parks and Walker Evans are some of the most celebrated documentary photographers of all time. Both photographers are known for their powerful and moving images that capture the human condition in all its complexity. However, their respective styles differ in some important ways.

Parks’ work is often characterized by its intimacy and humanity. He was particularly interested in documenting the lives of African Americans in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. His photographs are often full of joy and hope, even in the midst of adversity.

Evans’ work, on the other hand, is often more detached and objective. He was interested in capturing the reality of American life, both the good and the bad. His photographs are often stark and unsentimental.

In this essay, I will compare and contrast the documentary photography styles of Gordon Parks and Walker Evans. I will examine their respective approaches to composition, lighting, and subject matter. I will also discuss the impact that their work has had on the world of documentary photography.

One of the key differences between Parks and Evans’ photography is their approach to composition. Parks’ work is often characterized by its close-up and medium-range shots. He was interested in capturing the facial expressions and emotions of his subjects. For example, his photograph “American Gothic, Washington, D.C.” depicts an African-American woman standing in front of an American flag. The close-up shot is a powerful and moving image that captures the complex realities of American life and challenges us to confront the injustices of our society.

American Gothic, Washington, D.C., 1942 by Gordan Parks

Evans’ work, on the other hand, is often characterized by its wide-angle shots. He was interested in capturing the larger context of the world he lived in. For example, his photograph “A Graveyard and Steel Mill in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania” (1936) depicts a Bethlehem graveyard in the foreground and Bethlehem Steel in the background. The photograph is a powerful juxtaposition of life and death and of industry and nature. The graveyard seemed to represent the final resting place of the dead, while the steel mill represents the power of industry and the forces of progress.

A Graveyard and Steel Mill in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania November, 1935 by Walker Evans

Both photographers used natural light in their photographs to get a more realistic feel. Parks’ work is often characterized by its use of natural light. He wanted his photographs to look as natural and authentic as possible. For example, his photograph “Dinner Time at Mr. Hercules Brown’s Home, Somerville” depicts an ordinary family in the middle of eating dinner.

Hercules Brown and His Family at Supper, Somerville, Maine, 1944 by Gordan Parks

Evans’ work also seemed to favor a more natural approach; this was particularly important considering he liked to capture everyday life. Artificial lighting could create a false or staged impression of the reality of everyday life that he wanted to show. For example, his photo shows a street in Vicksburg, Mississippi, giving a candid view of what everyday life looked like back then.

Street scene in Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1930s, by Walker Evans.

Parks and Evans also differed in their choice of subject matter. Parks was particularly interested in documenting the lives of African Americans in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. His work often focuses on the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in the face of racism and discrimination.

Protest on the streets of Harlem, 1963, by Gordan Parks

Evans, on the other hand, was interested in documenting the reality of American life, both the good and the bad. He photographed a wide variety of subjects, including sharecroppers, migrant workers, and urban dwellers. His work often focuses on the social and economic disparities of American society. One of these photos, which shows a family of tenet farmers, shows them in front of their dwelling dressed in their best clothing.

Sharecropper’s Family, Hale County, Alabama, 1935, by Walker Evans

Gordon Parks and Walker Evans are two of the most celebrated documentary photographers of all time. Both photographers are known for their powerful and moving images that capture the human condition in all its complexity. However, their respective styles differ in some important ways.

Harlem Rally, Harlem, New York, 1963, by Gordan Parks

Parks’ work is often characterized by its intimacy and humanity, while Evans’ work, on the other hand, is often more detached and objective. Parks was particularly interested in documenting the lives of African Americans in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement, while Evans was interested in documenting the reality of American life.

Roadside stand near Birmingham, Alabama, 1936, by Walker Evans

Both Parks and Evans have had a profound impact on the world of documentary photography. Their work has inspired generations of photographers to use their cameras to document the human condition and to shine a light on social and economic injustices.

References

All-About-Photo.com. (2023, September 26). Walker Evans. All About Photo. https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/9/walker-evans

Bethlehem graveyard and steel mill. Pennsylvania. (n.d.). The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017759355/

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Walker Evans. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walker-Evans

Evans, W. (n.d.). Sharecropper’s family, Hale County, Alabama / burroughs family, Hale County, Alabama (the J. paul getty museum collection). Getty. https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/1041R2

The gordon parks foundation. Gordon Parks Foundation. (n.d.). https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/

The Future of Photography by Abigail Gordon

In a progressive world with constant technological advancements we are faced with concepts like immersive photography. By capturing a photo horizontally with a 360 degree angle of view, a panoramic image is created.

City Panoramic Image 

But it goes much deeper than just the image. While panoramic images can be taken and viewed on the same device, the experience becomes immersive when the viewer can walk around and view the scene from all angles. Immersive photography experiences and galleries are gaining popularity quickly. The COAL + ICE project of Asia Society was an immersive photography experience created to help the world better visualize the climate crisis. This exhibit was displayed at The Reach at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C. to help bring climate change awareness.

COAL+ICE Photography by David Breashears 

Through these changes the art of photography gains a new level of emotion. We can expect to see advancements in these immersive experiences as they continue to blossom.

While some common features that we know of now like autofocus and automatic exposure are artificial intelligence and are already a part of our cameras and lenses, we can expect to see AI technologies being used more often. In a world of artificial intelligence in photography  facial recognition and the ability to identify objects and even emotions in photos will be possible. Already we see these advances at the tips of our fingers directly in our camera’s settings, but in our editing software we also see great progress with programs like Adobe Firefly and Luminar Neo. 

What is by your side all throughout the day? Most likely, your smartphone.They are easily accessible, lightweight, and likely to replace some DLSR and even compact cameras. As new phone models surface we see an increasing rate of high quality cameras within them. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro really sets the bar high with its 48-megapixel sensor and wide angle lens. 

Image Captured with iPhone 14 Pro

Concept phones and cameras give us a good look into the future. Just check out this Xiaomi Concept Smartphone with a full size camera lens and you will see how advanced a smartphone’s camera can be.

Xiaomi 12s Ultra Concept Model 

Despite the evolving technology we can have confidence in the love that some have for pure and true classic photography. Advancements like smartphones can continue to spread, but your DSLR’s will not fully die out in the near future as they are the trunk of the photography tree and its many branches.

As time goes on and we see more digitization, even paintings and photos on the walls of our homes will start to become digital. Slideshow frames have made a statement in the last few years and many choose to have digital photo frames rather than singular paper printed photos in their home.

Digital Picture Frame 

Not only is print becoming digital but it is no longer restricted to being 2 dimensional. 3D printing is blooming. Classic print photos will always remain nostalgic and while we can expect to see a rise in these upcoming advances, print images will remain on display for some time.

Tre Northern – Blog Post 9/11

Blog Post 1: The Future of Photography

Tre Northern

Delaware Technical Community College

COM250-201 Photography

Bronwen Hazlett

September 11, 2023 

Immersive photography looks like a 3D photo except it will be 3D from all angles, as opposed to just one or two angles. It will give you a feeling that you are walking around the object, when you are standing in one place the entire time. You can also get the feeling of a cartoon being too real to be fake. Sometimes you can even make your own comparisons and analogies through one immersive photo. The audience will be able to view this through virtual reality headsets. Of course this new technological gadget is expensive and difficult to produce, but will definitely increase within the next few years. 

Photo by Hettie O’Brien, Immersive exhibitions, Apr 20, 2022.

Photo by MTS Staff Writer, Immersive Event Experiences That Drove Participant Experiences, Feb 9, 2023. 

AI will change the look and the function of the future camera by already existing in some features of smartphones. They don’t have as big as an impact on smartphones because it makes digital photography easier by putting the higher quality photos higher in rank, so that you don’t need to scavenge through the storage to decide which photos are the best quality. It will make out jobs faster and easier. It may be a big change for a lot of users to get used to, but the AI feature will learn from your behavior after time. 

Smartphones have not completely pushed compact cameras out of the market. There are still loyal customers and traditional photographers that still carry the more professional cameras. Even though smartphone camera quality is getting better overtime, it still may not be enough to edit and produce a high quality film. That’s where compact cameras come in. However, certain careers and lifestyles make shooting from a smartphone more manageable and successful. For example, a gym trainer can record workout videos from his smartphone at his house and post it immediately. From there, he can gain a following from his target audience, while being in the comfort of his own home, not spending a penny. Another example is a music instructor recording their music from the smartphone. Whether they are a piano teacher or choir teacher, they can host zoom sessions on bettering vocals or piano performances. On the other hand, they can record videos and have their students send videos back to see how they can improve. This draws productivity on both ends. I do think that this method will be more time consuming, and will take up more storage on the smartphone, which is why getting memory cards is recommended. 

Printed/displayed images will look and feel more three dimensional in the future. It will feel more realistic as if we were living in that moment. 3D and AI are increasing in use and taking over photographic technology. The images in the future may be edited but will still have an authentic feel to it because us as phone users will not do all of the editing. The AI system will recognize our patterns and use it accordingly. 

Photo by Nikita Duggal, Advantages and Disadvantages of AI, Aug 21, 2023. 

Photo by Memo Atken, All watched over by machines of loving grace, 2021.

References 

O’Brien, H. (2022, 20 April). Immersive exhibitions: the future of art or overpriced theme parks? The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/apr/20/immersive-exhibitions-the-future-of-art-or-overpriced-theme-parks. 

MTS Staff Writer. (2023, 9 February). Some of the Most Recent Immersive Event Experiences Stand Out. MarTech Series. Retrieved from https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/staff-writers/immersive-event-experiences-that-drove-participant-experiences/. 

Duggal, N. (2021). Advantages and Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence. Simplilearn. Retrieved from https://www.simplilearn.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-artificial-intelligence-article. 

Atken, M. (2023). Generative AI is a minefield for copyright law. The conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/generative-ai-is-a-minefield-for-copyright-law-207473. 

The Future Of Photography – Kevin Cespedes

Since the 1800s, photography has been a reliable tool that has recorded snapshots of people and events through photos which display these images. However like all inventions, the concept is constantly evolving and reshaped in innovative ways, with Immersive photography being one of the latest. Now since it’s conception, photos have always remained as 2D images but with immersive photography, people hope to view them in another dimension like 3D (Bryan-Smith, 2023). One promising method that has been proposed is 3D model photos which has a process that involves a 3D printer creating a 3D model based on a photo. Now if this area is experimented on, it could eventually lead to us creating these model images digitally so in that respect, I believe this example will be crucial in pushing photography forward due to its potential in technological applications. Virtual reality is another example that has a really promising future for immersive photography especially since multiple mediums are also looking into it like the film and gaming industry. The idea of wearing a headset that immerses its audience into a 360 image is something has appealed to consumers in recent decades and companies know this (Bryan-Smith, 2023). For instance, Apple tried capitalizing on that by releasing its own version of a VR product, Apple Vision Pro (Brodsky, 2023). Now VR still has a way to go but I believe it’s really only a matter of time until it’s successfully applied to photography and people start demanding they see images with 360 camera work. As far as I’m aware, I predict that 3D models and VR are the future of immersive photography.

ExpertPhotography. (2023). 3D Model of a Photograph.

Krales, A. (2023). A Virtual Reality headset.

People tend to ask how AI will affect the world. The truth is though that AI is already present in our lives and while it may not be in the same way as people were expecting them to be, they do have an effect on photography. Camera features such auto focus and image stabilization are obvious examples that need AI to function (Bryan-Smith, 2023). However it won’t end there though because people are already looking into how AI will continue to improve their various features such as enhancing images, scanning facial recognition, simulating depth of field, and so much more as times goes on (Constant, 2023). Not only is there a greater reliance on AI from cameras but also from editing softwares too, which increasingly rely on AI in recognizing and labeling various layers of an image (Bryan-Smith, 2023). AI software has even expanded to smartphones camera apps to further assist them with photography and editing. It’s clear now that as AI keeps expanding in smart phones, cameras, and softwares, the process of digital photography and editing will continue to be easier to use as AI gains a greater presence in photography

Now as photography continually advances, older cameras become outdated and are eventually left behind to make way for more accessible upgrades. Compact cameras used to be very popular in the early 2000s. However, digital cameras have dramatically declined thanks to the popularity of smartphones, with sales dropping to 80% since 2010 (Bryan-Smith, 2023). The connivence of having a camera inside a phone heavily outweigh the need of carrying an extra piece of gear which is why the consumers for digital cameras keep shrinking despite being in an age where people are taking more pictures than they have ever before. Now compact cameras may not be the only ones that might become obsolete in the near future because DSLRs are facing growing competition against mirrorless cameras. While DSLRs is comfortably the most dominant camera between the two, mirrorless cameras are starting to gain traction for better resolution, better image quality, being lighter, and having fewer moving components (Bryan-Smith, 2023). Even companies that prominently make DSLRs, like Canon and Nikon, already are selling their own mirrorless cameras too, sending a signal that the market may be beginning to shift against DSLRs (Bryan-Smith, 2023). The futures look grim for DSLRs and compact cameras but people mustn’t forget that vintage cameras have been making a steady comeback in the past few years, such as the 35mm and wet plate photography (Bryan-Smith, 2023). Their sales will most likely continue to decline in the coming years but I believe they won’t completely disappear from the market and will possibly end up making a comeback many years down the line like vintage cameras have through the nostalgia of older consumers.  

Laing, G. (2020). A comparison of a mirrorless (left) and DSLR camera (right).  

André, M. (2006). A 35mm camera.

It’s so difficult to conceive a distant future where photography is so dramatically different from the current time that it is in right now. However, I believe that 360 digital projections will eventually be the most accepted display of images in the very far future. This may sound implausible but I can certainly imagine the futuristic projections being real life inspired holograms that people see in movies like Star Wars. In fact there have been plenty of attempts to make holograms a reality. Back in 2017, a group scientists at Australian National University developed a nano-material device that creates holographic images (Dockrill, 2023). While the technology is currently more primitive than what people would imagine, this could be a very promising step towards holograms or at least a device that’s realistically more similar to it. If it ever does become reality, then it possibly paves the way to 360 images that are digitally projected from a device and a time where this miraculous invention becomes a common tool for photographers. Now even in a hypothetical age where photography becomes so sophisticated and advanced, 2D images will still be around. I just don’t see 2D pictures ever being out of the picture because it’s straightforward and very easy to understand. I’d even argue that if photography becomes as advanced as I laid out with my projections prediction, 2D photography could be a smooth gateway for people and help ease them into photography’s higher tech. 

Wang, L. (2017). A 3D holographic image of a kangaroo.

Allen, S. (2015). A collection of photographs.

References

 Allen, S. (2015). Photo gallery – west belfast 1987 – 2003. Capture the present so those in the future can look back at the past. Slugger O’Toole. https://sluggerotoole.com/2015/05/29/photo-gallery-west-belfast-1987-2003-capture-the-present-so-those-in-the-future-can-look-back-at-the-past/

Brodsky, S. (2023). Why VR photography could be the next big thing. Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/vr-photography-could-be-big-7511433

Bryan-Smith, C. (2023). Our 7 predictions for the future of photography. ExpertPhotography. https://expertphotography.com/future-of-photography/

Constant, N. (2023). AI photography: how is AI changing the world of photography. ExpertPhotography.https://expertphotography.com/ai-photography/

Dockrill, P. (2017). Scientists created star wars style holograms in the lab. ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-created-star-wars-style-holograms-in-the-lab

ExpertPhotography. (2023). How to create a 3D Model from Photos (step by step). ExpertPhotography. https://expertphotography.com/create-a-3d-model-from-photos/

Laing, G. (2020). Benefits of mirrorless vs DSLR. Cameralabs. https://www.cameralabs.com/mirrorless-vs-dslr-benefits-of-mirrorless-cameras/

Robertson, A. (2019). It’s 2019 – which VR headset can you actually buy. The Verge.https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/16/18625238/vr-virtual-reality-headsets-oculus-quest-valve-index-htc-vive-nintendo-labo-vr-2019

Thurston, A. (2017). 5 great starter 35mm film cameras for budget minded hipster. ThePhoblographer. https://www.thephoblographer.com/2017/04/17/5-great-starter-35mm-film-cameras-for-the-budget-minded/

The Future of Photography – Dylan O’Grady

Immersive photography looks like 3D images where you can view them from all different angles, and we can even walk around them. It is by far the most advanced photography available to us today and it will only get more revolutionary as the years will go on. Fully immersive 3D images are on our smartphones and virtual reality headsets which is where you get the most out of immersive photography but will soon be available on different kinds of cameras as well as computers. This will allow the photographer and viewer to get everything out of the pictures to see every detail as possible to not only see what is only in front of the frame but as well as everything around it will a 360 degree look and feel to it.

Michael Brosilow, Vincent van Gogh’s sunflower paintings are among the artist’s most famous works, 8/6/21

Michael Brosilow, Self-portraits of the artist projected against a meaningfully starry backdrop, 8/6/21

While immersive photography was introduced on virtual reality artificial intelligence photography was introduced on our smartphones through certain apps and features that are capable of it. AI will have the audacity to select the best photos you will take and have on your camera roll so us as photographers will not have to scroll through each photo we have saved. As AI will be available on different formats for photographers the features will expand and become more immersive and revolutionary as time goes on. AI will be able to pinpoint certain items and objects in the frame and even make the settings for you for the shots you need to take the best possible photographs.

It is no surprise that smartphones have taken over the world of photography due to a huge population of not even photographers but people in general since we carry them with us almost everywhere we go nowadays. We take pictures on our phones whenever we see something that catches out eyes and anything that stands out to us and it’s so fast and simple that almost everyone is capable of taking pictures on their smartphone. Many of us who post pictures on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram use photos from our smartphones over DSLR cameras which was a very popular camera before smartphones took over the world of photography. Taking pictures on your smartphone has several features given to us to take as high or even higher quality images than DSLR cameras due to how much technology has evolved over the last decade or so. DSLR cameras will always be relevant, but the point is that smartphones have taken over photography as the number one source.

Patrick Mansell, The immediacy of capturing and posting an image is a big part of the appeal to smartphone users, 7/24/13

Matti Haapoja, Check out this iPhone 11 Pro vs Canon DSLR photoshoot, 10/29/19

With AI and 3D photography going to become more relevant and used as the years go on, we must wonder what printed and still images will be like while they are trending. These kinds of images will have their same look to them of course but there will be far more advanced photography in the years to come due to all the latest inventions and ideas hitting the industry. Printed photography will look and feel somewhat outdated to us as the years go on but many of us will still be using these images no matter how advanced photography will become.

Joseph Foley, Image of a photographer in the desert produced with an AI image generator, 12/31/22

Perhaps too far ahead of its time. But its time will come, Kārlis Dambrāns, 2/4/18

Sources:

Clark, C. (2021, August 6). First Look — The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is a Lavish, Sensory Experience in the Historic East Quarter. PaperCity Magazine. https://www.papercitymag.com/arts/immersive-van-gogh-dallas-review/

Marshall, A. (2013, July 24). Probing Question: Are smartphones changing photography? | Penn State University. http://Www.psu.edu. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/probing-question-are-smartphones-changing-photography/

updated, S. W. last. (2019, October 28). Check out this iPhone 11 Pro vs Canon DSLR photoshoot. IMore. https://www.imore.com/check-out-iphone-11-pro-vs-canon-dslr-photoshoot

published, J. F. (2022, December 31). How AI changed photography forever in 2022. Digitalcameraworld. https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/features/how-ai-changed-photography-forever-in-2022

Row, J. (2018, February 4). What Will Photography Look Like In The Far Future? Light Stalking. https://www.lightstalking.com/photography-far-future/

The Future of Photography by Ashe Conti

The art of photography has been growing rapidly, and most people know photography to be 2D. However, photography can now be immersive, with the rise of 3D photography. Immersive photography looks like 3D images, in which viewers can experience these images as if they were in real life. According to an article by Christopher Bryan-Smith, titled, “Our 7 Predictions for the Future of Photography,” an example of immersive photography would be Google Maps, as they use 360 cameras to capture the streets of the world.

Damien Chidgey, 2021

Additionally, Virtual Reality has now become a great opportunity for 3D photography. According to an article titled, “Why VR Photography Could Be the Next Big Thing,” by Sascha Brodsky, VR photos will be more immersive than 2D photos because the audience can view these photos in an environment that feels real. Also, a founder of a VR company named Vestigo, Marshall Mosher, said in the article, “They offer a sense of depth and spatial awareness, allowing users to immerse themselves in the captured moment fully,” he added. “VR photos also go beyond traditional static images by preserving the dynamic nature of the virtual environment, including movement, sound, and interactive elements, adding a new dimension to storytelling and memory preservation.”

Immersive Van Gogh, photo by Nina Westervelt, 2022

The usefulness of AI has been growing rapidly, and has sparked many uses for photography. According to the article by Chistopher Bryan-Smith, AI has been implemented into cameras to help with autofocus and image stabilization systems. AI has also helped cameras with tracking and automatic exposure features. Additionally, in the future, there will be ways to edit images directly with a camera. iPhones have already implemented features on the camera where the Portrait mode automatically creates a shallow depth of field, without having to edit the image or manually adjust the focus. AI will soon be able to edit your images on your camera for you, like recognizing objects, labeling them, and even picking out images that the AI sees are the best. Photoshop has already implemented a feature where AI can expand a photo without any other context except for the photo itself.

Nowadays, most people use a smartphone regularly, and they don’t see a need to get a compact camera or a DSLR camera unless it is for their career. Smartphones now have such good camera quality that usually photos from a phone get the job done for a lot of instances, and pretty quickly and easily too. DSLR cameras are great performing cameras, but the compact camera has become way less popular due to smartphones being decent cameras themselves.

Videomaker, 2023

DSLR cameras aren’t going to die out soon, but more and more people are turning to mirrorless cameras rather than the DSLR. This is because the mirrorless cameras appear to have nicer image quality and how small and light the mirrorless camera is.

Sony Electronics, 2016

With the rise of 3D photography, there has also been a rise in 3D printing. 3D printing used to be something not many people could get there hands on, but now, lots of people have access to a 3D printer. 3D printing can be used from having a 3D model on your computer, and having it printed out in a 3D printer. These printers can even use different textures to give the 3D object different feels. According to an article titled, “3D Printing,” by Sam Daley, 3D printers have many important uses, like making tools and parts, as well as being used for automotive and manufacturing companies. 

Formlabs, 2018

Sculpteo, 2017

References

3D printing scale architecture models: Insights from Laney La. Formlabs. (2018, March 28). https://formlabs.com/uk/blog/3d-printing-scale-architecture-models-laney-la-insights/

Brodsky, S. (2023, June 13). Why VR photography could be the next big thing. Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/vr-photography-could-be-big-7511433

Bryan-Smith, C. (2023, June 5). Our 7 predictions for the future of photography. ExpertPhotography. https://expertphotography.com/future-of-photography/

Chidgey, D. (2021, December 3). The 360-degree images of Cardiff showing the city as you’ve never seen it before. WalesOnline. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gallery/damian-chidgey-cardiff-calendar-pictures-22354121

Petty, K. (2022, June 21). A conversation with the composer behind “immersive Van Gogh.” San Antonio Magazine. https://www.sanantoniomag.com/a-conversation-with-the-composer-behind-immersive-van-gogh/

Recrosio, E. (2017, November 23). Additive manufacturing to create customized tools with 3D printing. Sculpteo Blog. https://www.sculpteo.com/blog/2017/03/01/benefits-of-3d-printing-tooling/

Sony Electronics. (2016). Understanding DSLR vs. Mirrorless Cameras. Retrieved September 11, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=4ezKmawMEUs.

Videomaker. (2023, July 5). Best smartphone cameras for video – 2023. https://www.videomaker.com/buyers-guide/best-smartphone-cameras-for-video/

Diego Morones-Castillo on The Future of Technology

Immersive photography will be in three dimensions, rather than the traditional two, which would mean that people can feasibly walk in and around the photograph in question and possibly even interact with the subject(s). An audience could view the photographs in the virtual world, whether with the help of wearable technology (such as virtual reality or augmented reality goggles) or with the use of triangulating projectors (as seen with Quentin Beck’s drones in the science-fiction movie Spider-Man: Far From Home).

Tilt Brush ad by Google

An image still from Spider-Man: Far From Home

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) already exists within the modern world of photography. The automatic features on modern standard cameras, such as Canon and Nikon, are programmed with A.I. to fine tune the image and get clean shots every time, and certain modern smartphones, such as the iPhone 7, can create well-executed shallow depth-of-field shots by recognizing the background and placing a blur filter onto it. However, with the evolution of A.I, a professional photographer will also be able to find the perfect photograph from their collection of photos for a project, rather than having to sift through the thousands of photographs they might have.

While compact cameras still exist in the marketplace, they are quickly getting pushed out by the evolution of the photographic capabilities of modern smartphones. Not only do they allow the user to take clear, professional-looking shots, they also have the capability to share said photos with the users’ friends and family over their social media accounts. For example, rather than having to take one’s camera on their trip, take the photos with manual settings, take it back home, plug it into their computer with a physical cable, and process all of the photos in their computer, a user can simply use their phone to take a photo of their trip with automatic adjustments made, save it to the “cloud”, and share them later with family members across the country. Speaking of sharing, in yesteryear, a family might have had their highlight reel of photos professionally developed for a slideshow to show over the holidays or for a scrapbook to relive a peak moment in their life as a family. Now, any Millennial/Gen Z’er can pull out their phone, take a set of photos of their vacation, and choose which ones their friends get to see on their social media sites.

A family gathering with a slideshow // Source: Heirloom.cloud

Family vacation selfie in Italy // Credit: creativemarket.com

Due to the ever-present desire to restore the old style of photographs, which would include a visual texture and warmth that is lacking amongst modern standard cameras, the displayed images will almost always be rooted in the past traditions. However, the evolution of more practical photography, as well as innovative photography, will take the forefront, leaving traditional photography as more of a niche hobby than anything with practical uses. In terms of practical photography, many people will be able to produce quasi-professional quality images with only their smartphone and share them with anyone around the world in seconds. In terms of innovative photography, virtual reality will possibly allow the users to interact with the photos in a more manipulative way (interact with the subject[s] within a photograph) and create virtual models to promote goods, such as clothing, or services, such as rental spaces.

A Young Man Using a Vintage Camera // Credit: Dustin Rawlinson

The Future of Immersive Photography

Jacob Cannon

With Photography being a significant component of everyone’s lives since it was created roughly 200 years ago, there is going to be an emphasis on making it the best it can be so that we can enjoy any photography use such as art, advertisements, family vacation photos, and everything in between. This is why products like AI devices and smartphones will play a vital component in photography and will change how we see styles of photography, such as the evolving concept of immersive photography. 

Immersive photography has been developing for years with new technology changing how immersed and connected people can be with what they would usually see in 2D. Christopher Bryan-Smith, author of the article “7 Predictions for the Future of Photography” shares his thoughts on what immersive photography will look like in coming years, stating “When they’re projected, you can walk around and view them from all angles.” (Bryan-Smith, 2023). This statement matches my own ideas of what immersive photography will look like; people will be able to put themselves in the situation and experience what the photo is really trying to depict. I believe that these 3D models will mainly be able to be viewed in major public places such as malls and museums until they are able to make this form of photography cheap and quickly accessible.

 Marc Carpentier, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License Wikimedia, 2022

Nina Westervelt, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License Wikimedia, 2022

With this new style becoming major in many photography communities, it is inevitable that additions such as AI assistance will become a part of this style. Many engineers have spent years making AI capable of generating 3D images and allowing them to fill in the voids of a 2D photo to make it come to life. This allows for faster and more efficient creation of 3D photography, making it more accessible. Additionally, it will make it more common for photographers to use, drawing attention from those viewing the photos and seeing a new style of photography. This will allow for cameras to be small and more self-sufficient and electronic, allowing for wider access to capabilities. 

AI will not only change cameras though, as they are being imbedded into more recent smartphones, allowing for everyone to be able to use this immersive photographic experience. With companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Google releasing the best camera quality one can get with a smartphone, many people are using their phones instead of regular cameras as many people already own phones. 

DXOMARK, 2023

These phones, now becoming a major way to photograph in recent years, are making many halt the use of compact cameras, and now, digital cameras, specifically DSLR cameras are becoming less common. Smartphones have almost completely wiped out the use of compact cameras as for many, their smartphone is already with them ready to use. DSLR cameras are now at risk of not being used as much even though these cameras allow for clear photos and have been used for photography for years. With many people noticing they can create the same quality with a smartphone and editing, many are considering not using DSLR for future immersive photography as it is one more thing they need to buy, carry, and maintain. I believe that smartphones will become one of the most common forms of taking photos, and may wipe out compact and DSLR in the coming years. 

Brad Jones, MakeUseOf, 2021

All of these components of immersive photography such as how it is produced and what devices are used are going to change the outcome of the photography and how it is displayed to audiences. I believe that many photographers will use electronic production and print only in certain situations such as posters and museums. This means that a majority of immersive photography will be displayed via projections or 3D printing, allowing for a more electronic and compact process of developing art. 

Lumerarius, 2023

Lumerarius, 2023

With all the new technologies being developed daily, it is hard to tell exactly what will happen with photography, however, we can tell that it will be accessible and mostly digital over time. This has many ups and downs, but it will all make immersive photography and other styles exceptional in their own way. 

Sources: 

Mondloch, K. (2022, September 20). The Influencers: Van Gogh immersive experiences and the attention-experience economy. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/11/5/90

Rehm, L. (2021, March 8). The best smartphone cameras. DXOMARK. https://www.dxomark.com/the-best-smartphone-cameras/

Jones, B. (2021, June 15). DSLRs vs. smartphone cameras, compared: The Pros and Cons. 

MUO. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/dslr-vs-smartphone-cameras-comparison/360o immersive projection room – Fremont, WA – 3D projection mapping system.

Lumenarius. (2023). https://www.lumenarius.com/360-immersive-projection-mapping-room-fremont-wa