10 years from now!

[Ricardo]

Just thought I'd throw this one up in the air and see what comes down.

As a pro photographer I often wonder how I will be working 10 years from now. This industry is changing so much with the introduction of new technology. Will there be photographers? Will there be retouchers? Will they be one and the same? Will all commercial imagery be computer generated?

If any of you guys have crystal ball I'd love to know your thoughts.

[Mike]

OK, I will hazard a guess!

Still photographs will still be part of the mix, but video (with sound) will be a much bigger part of it. Most of this will be displayed on the digital frames that are now becoming popular.

Large paper prints will have about the same place they have now, but the smaller prints (11x14) and below will slowly disappear.

And there you have it, straight from my crystal ball.

[Frank Lopes]

I'm not a prof photographer but here are my thoughts:

• Photographers
  There will always be photographers. The output mediums will probably change, but the art of capturing the moment, will always remain.
• Retouchers
  Yes. There will always be someone that wants their wrinkles removed or an annoying brother-in-law excised from the picture.
• Will they be the same?
  Not in all cases. However, the "digital dark room" art will be more and more prevalent within the photographer community. There will always be specialists in the art of retouching without the "eye" to capture the moment the same way that there will be terrific photographers that have not idea what the difference is between a layer or a mask.
• Will all commercial imagery be computer generated?
  No. I can see a period when people will become infatuated with computer generated images, but there will be a point (let's call it retro period) when people will cherish the "good old fashion" style of photographing real/physical subjects.

From a technical perspective, cameras will:

• have less noise and will be much more sensitive to light.
  1600 iso will be the "new" 400 iso.
• be smaller & cheaper.
• all have vibration aware sensors (to combat blurriness). Not just "high end" cameras.
• move toward much bigger sensors beyond the classic 35mm form factor. What we call today "medium" formats, will start coming to the main stream without costing $30,000.

Just my $.02

Originally Posted by Ricardo

.....
If any of you guys have crystal ball I'd love to know your thoughts.
.....

[0lBaldy]

My Crystal Ball says that Photos and Retouching will be done in 3D CGI or at least simulated in that media

[MrRyan]

Originally Posted by Frank Lopes

I'm not a prof photographer but here are my thoughts:
[*] Will all commercial imagery be computer generated?
No. I can see a period when people will become infatuated with computer generated images, but there will be a point (let's call it retro period) when people will cherish the "good old fashion" style of photographing real/physical subjects.[/LIST]

I agree with Franks assessment of the photography industry's direction.
From my standpoint, things have already begun to retrograde a LOT in fashion/art areas of photography. Everybody is trying to find old camera's to shoot with for their film processing aesthetics. In some circles, photography is even being simplified and thrown back into the hands of "WHOEVER THE F___" wants to make it, as seen with Terry Richards, American Apparel, etc.
I see this happening a lot in the fashion industry already.

my 3¢!
RyRy