What I Hope For In Photography For 2024 And Beyond
Photography has rapidly evolved in the last decade. We have seen some paradigm shifts that has affected photographers and creatives.
First we saw the rise of smartphones. The integration of cameras with phones was not only a game changer, but transformative in consumer behavior.
Next came the rise of social media, which was driven by smartphones. Users can take instant photos from their phone and share it across the Internet.
This was followed by the emergence of AI imaging processors. Mobile camera apps and desktop programs allow amazing edits of photos, which enhance the results beyond what normal cameras can capture.
Then came the next generation of cameras, in the form of mirrorless cameras. They have given the DSLR a run for their money, but also in terms of improvements in imaging quality, form factor and speed.
There has also been an increase in the use of drone photography. This has allowed a different type of perspective from an imaging aspect, that has become popular with photographers and creatives.
As we enter 2024, there are some things to expect that continues and evolves the art of photography. Here are some thoughts.
Preserving The Legacy
I do hope that film photography continues. I am not a film shooter, but I have respect for this technique because it was one of the first applications of photography.
Film is at the roots of traditional photography. This gives appeal to the analog world of photography, as an art form that is worthy of being preserved.
It has now become a niche market, largely due to the rise of digital cameras and the increased costs of film processing. It can be an expensive hobby with buying film and finding studios that can develop it.
Some types of film are also rare, and this adds value to the photos. This is something that might not even be around in the future, so finding ways to physically preserve it will be the challenge.
Adopting New Technologies
We should explore other technologies that can improve or advance the creation of beautiful images. We are not just talking about the camera optics, but also the methods, devices and techniques.
Photographers have adopted essential technologies like NAS, RAID and even the cloud to store and backup their images. These are just some examples that help photographers.
AI generative imaging, computational photography, remote or virtual photography, immersive 3D imaging and Augmented Reality (AR) are the technologies that have emerged. Photographers can apply those features to benefit their own work.
There are a few things I would like to see more of:
Submersible Drones — They are also called underwater drones and have been used by specific sectors (e.g. research, military) outside of the retail market. They are very much unregulated and not proven for retail use. It does give a view of a place not often seen, but it is not as safe or regulated as their aerial drone counterparts.
Problems can arise with communications between the operator and the device with wireless submersibles as it gets farther away or deeper in the water. They are also not easily recoverable if a mishap occurs, so these are issues that make them less widely available.
There are tethered submersibles and are used mostly for cinematic, industrial or research use, but can be quite expensive. They are also not easy to operate for the typical retail user.
The ocean is still very much unexplored. Submersibles give a glimpse into a world that is rarely seen, but operation and safety is a primary concern for retail users.
Blockchain Cameras — What does the blockchain have to do with cameras? Actually they are not directly related, but a blockchain can have a use case with cameras.
This is with regards to security for IoT (Internet-of-Things) cameras. Hacking of these device, which include web cameras, is becoming a serious problem.
This is where blockchains can help. Blockchains are cryptographic databases that can be used to verify the camera’s owner, preventing access by bad actors.
An IoT camera can be secured by a unique private key, which allows access only to the owner who is verified by a blockchain. It would be hard to bypass this mechanism since it is cryptographically secured, unless the private key was stolen.
What makes this idea effective, is that blockchains are decentralized networks. That means they are not controlled by any single entity or organization, so it cannot be directly hacked or tampered with.
AI Intelligent Camera Assistants — I have covered AI (Artificial Intelligence) camera assistants like Arsenal in the past. The question now is whether or not this technology has advanced to become general purpose for any camera.
We do see some AI features on smartphone camera apps, but not for the retail camera market. I think this can be a useful partner to photographers for settings and configuration.
I want to see AI that can help photographers and not to replace them. AI can help capture the best shot given the lighting conditions and scenery. It does not have to be for beginners only, even professionals can use it.
This is not to say that we should remove the Manual mode from digital cameras. Photographers should still be able to control the shutter speed, aperture, and all other settings on their camera but AI can also be used to provide assistance when needed.
Better Peripherals And Design — Today we are taking more photos of ourselves (i.e. selfies) so that made the “selfie-stick” a success. It is always expected that equipment manufacturers will continue coming up with interesting products in photography.
What I mean is that we need peripherals that can make life easier for photographers. It must be relevant to the times, and not just fancy gimmicks and marketing.
We need things to support the new ways in how we capture images. People want to film themselves in real time and sometimes without another person holding the camera.
Social media has been a driving force in the use of cameras. More can be done for vloggers, independent journalists, and influencers, that make cameras easier to use and more suitable for content creation.
NFTs — This is probably the most contentious. Not all photographers are on board or even convinced about NFTs. It is a novel way to verify digital content using blockchain technology.
It is either photographers lack education about how this can be applied to photography or just lack interest. I do see an application for it when it comes to copyrights of original digital prints.
An NFT can be used to verify and tokenize a photographer’s original work. The thing is that it is more practical for digital images, rather than physical film prints. That is because the process of tokenization is purely digital, and were designed more for the protection and verification of computer content.
Whatever the reason is, NFTs have still not reached any wide adoption in the photography industry. Perhaps when its realized value becomes more popular, then we can see how this can transform photography when it comes to ownership of content.
New Approaches To Creativity
Photography is a creative process, and it has had a significant influence on art. It has presented new forms of visualization that conveys the real world.
I admire the new approaches some creatives are taking in producing videos or taking stills. We’ve seen examples of this ranging from short films shot with an iPhone to drone footages in videos.
When you can present a unique perspective, you capture the audiences attention. It makes them wonder “how did they shoot that?”. It is all a part of the creative process.
We can now use 3D perspective, augmented reality photography, remote photography or virtual photoshoots, AI generated images and creative filters. It also does not matter what camera you use. There are endless possibilities for sharing amazing content.
More Collaborations Among Creatives
There are now many ways photographers can collaborate with other creatives. I am talking about social apps that connect communities online.
This can be through meetups among creatives who live in a particular area. I have participated in some of them and it turns out to be a great experience. You can learn and meet new people at the same time.
Some photographers have used online apps like Zoom, StreamYard, YouTube and Twitch to share content. The social media app TikTok has become popular for short format content sharing of the latest projects and behind the scenes in photoshoots.
Collaborations can take place in real-time remotely or physically. A photographer can take photos of a fashion model from a studio in New York while the images are uploaded to a cloud drive for editing. A brand producer in London can then use the images for an online e-commerce store.
Monetization Opportunities For Photographers
There are more ways now for photographers to make money. While it seems that the smartphone camera and AI has taken a lot of jobs away from professional photographers, there are also new doors that are opening.
I see new money-making opportunities on the horizon with NFTs and Web3 technology. The concept is that photographers can tokenize their prints as an NFT (mentioned earlier) and by using Web3 platforms, it can be sold or licensed for use in a decentralized marketplace.
Compared to traditional markets, a decentralized market (e.g. OpenSea) allows photographers to be their own middleman. This allows photographers to sell their work directly to a willing buyer, while earning more since there is no need to pay additional parties.
Final Thoughts
It is not about whether something is considered obsolete like film. It is still about how you capture the image and process the prints.
I do not exist in a Nikon vs. Canon bubble. I believe in being open-minded when it comes to cameras, techniques and methodologies as they continue to improve and produce the best quality in images.
Some photographers will stay in their lane and never bother checking out the latest imaging technologies. That is fine, but other photographers will want to challenge their creativity and explore.
I will be writing about some of the topics I discussed here for 2024. That way we can further dive into whether it is making any great impact or not.
I believe in preserving the past, but look forward to adopting the latest innovations. The rapidly changing scene will shape the future of imaging and photography, hopefully for the best.
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