Five professional-life reasons to go digital
Four personal-life reasons to go digital
One good-for-the-future-of-the-planet reason to go digital
Picking just ten reasons to own and use a digital camera is hard. In an effort to play to heartstrings everywhere, I've included ideas about job-related shooting, uses in the home, travel considerations . . . the list goes on and on, but this list only goes up to ten. After that, you have to use your imagination.
The gap in capability between 35mm film and high-end digital cameras disappeared some time ago. The technology that allows digital cameras to match 35mm quality is now found in quite reasonably priced equipment. (Admittedly, only the most expensive digital camera backs for very expensive high-quality cameras can even think about competing with medium or large format film.) If you haven't yet gone over to the digital side, here are some convincing arguments to make the jump. If you already are digital in mind, body, and lens, read the list anyway — it might give you a few points for future discussions with traditionalists.
In the field, in the studio, and even in the home and on the road, digital offers a number of advantages over film:
No processing time (or cost): You don't have to wait to start editing your images. Instead, you download to your computer and open the images in Photoshop. No longer do you have those pesky delays for processing/printing/scanning, nor those bothersome bills for film processing.
Instant feedback: You can evaluate the shot immediately on the camera's LCD screen, which allows you to quickly delete any boo-boos before anyone else sees them. Oh, and that frees up storage space, too, of course! And don't forget about LCD previews available on many cameras, which let you makes decisions even before you shoot.
Create libraries of textures and patterns: Shoot digital images of clouds and bark and grass and fabric and concrete and bricks and whatever to create libraries of textures to use in Photoshop. Use blending mode and the Texture
Remote control: Use your computer's monitor (if your camera/software allows) to adjust and perfect the shot before shooting. The screen is a lot larger and more accurate than the camera's LCD. This is often referred to as tethered shooting.
Multiple exposures for one image: Bracket the exposure and then combine the images automatically in Photoshop with Merge to HDR, shown in Figure 20-2. (See Chapter 10 for specific instructions on shooting for Merge to HDR.)
Owning a digital camera comes in handy for your personal life, too:
Travel convenience: With a digital camera, you eliminate worries about X-ray machines, baggage scanning, and film storage. And don't forget how much easier it is to carry a half-dozen flash cards than dozens of rolls of film!
Home inventory: Do it. Really. Do it. Go around the house and take photos of the important stuff. (Don't forget the jewelry!) If your camera has a date/time stamp, use it. You don't even need to print these shots. Just drop that flash card or whatever storage device your camera uses in the safe deposit box at the bank. Or mail it to your family attorney. Or put it in an envelope at the office. But have it safe, just in case Mother Nature (or Human Nature) requires you to file an insurance claim.
Family gatherings: Hey, aren't you the Photoshop expert? Doesn't that make you the perfect person to take this group photo? (Read about instant feedback in the preceding section.)
Explore your artistic boundaries: It really doesn't cost anything (dollar-wise) to shoot digitally. Take the off-angle shot. Play with aperture and exposure. Have fun, play, and experiment. And see what you really have inside you.
Digital photography is so much more environmentally friendly than film that it boggles the mind! No toxic waste related to film production. No processing chemicals to dispose of (or illegally dump down the sink). Really, truly, digital is a more Earth-friendly way to shoot. And isn't that a nice thought with which to end this book?
I wish you peace, love, health, and happiness!