This could have been written today.

"As soon as these technical improvements had been made, portrait studios were opened almost everywhere in the western world. Their number can hardly be estimated. Their proprietors came from a wide variety of trades and professions: in two weeks almost anyone could gain sufficient technical proficiency to set up business."

Does this sound familiar? Does it sound like it is spoken about the current state of photography and what digital ha brought? What if I told you this was written in Beaumont Newhall's The History of Photography and was talking about the rise of the daguerreotype? Barely 15 years after the first recognized photograph by Joseph Nicephore Niepce had been fixed to a permanent medium in 1827. It speaks to this medium we love and how it alone has been embraced by the masses since it was developed by pioneers like Daguerre and Talbot and improved upon by countless others who improved and refined the techniques and equipment. What we have today is just a continuation of the process and it will always be the medium of the people.

Can one prosper if they choose to work as photographers in this modern environment? I guess that depends on how you look at the industry and the medium in general. If you choose to be bitter, complain and close yourself to the possibilities that are coming then I guess not. However if one takes what is happening, stays on the cutting edge and up to date on developments in the industry I believe one can. Will it be easy? No, there is a more visually literate audience out there and they know what they can and can't do. If you can figure out your way to tap in to the new ways of presenting your work and offer something that others can not easily achieve I believe you can prosper. But I think you must love the medium and want to create out of the sheer joy and passion of it.

It is also important to understand where photography started and the history of the different genres that we have available to us. I hope that in the new course I am developing and will be teaching at SAIT in the continuing education program will aid in educating and inspiring those interested in and entering the world of photography. Knowing the past helps in improving the future. So after talking about the early days I now post my latest iPhone images. The above was of a wonderfully restored Ford Model T that was in the parking lot of Northland Village Shoppes as the family and I went for brunch this morning. I barely had a chance to shoot two frames before the driver took off. I would have enjoyed the chance to talk to him a little more and maybe have the opportunity to do more photos of his fine vehicle. However the moment was fleeting and the iPhone allowed me the chance to make a capture. As we ate brunch I worked on the photo in Snapseed and decided I wanted to use something that gave it an old time feel that matched the car. Scrolling through the grunge I finally found one that worked the way I wanted. This is my Instagram 366 image for today.
This shot looks like it could be any set of deck chairs out in the yard with the leaves left over from fall lying around. However I shot this image this afternoon when I was at Iris in Market Mall. While waiting for them to repair Cool's glasses I noticed these two miniature chairs on the counter and thought I might be able to do something with them. So I took a couple shots and again opened one in Snapseed. Choosing the grunge filter once again I was able to get this wonderful look and posted as my "tadaa Today" photo.