Value, quality, what something is worth to you personally is subject to our own individual experience and perspective, one persons treasure is another’s curse. This is a good thing.
My perspective on the value in photography is transient. It is arguable that the value of photography has decreased with the continued saturation and fickle nature of its use as a means of communication and validation. There is also a case to answer that its abuse and manipulation in the hands of those who seek to use it as a tool of propaganda both political and economic draws into question its integrity. In its simplicity it is a means of documenting something, whether an idea or a physical rendition. How this is used and the honesty and integrity to which it is employed is a complicated subject far too deep to explore here.
So why drivel on?
Yesterday was my sons 4th birthday, I hate taking my camera to these sorts of things, normally I take pictures on my camera phone, it feels more natural to take family pictures this way, if I use my pro it feels like I am objectifying them. Yesterday I decided to take the big one anyway and I really enjoyed it. Rather than looking for a perfect shot I just took what I could without getting in the way. It was a reminder for me that the value of a photograph is in the content relative to the viewer. It was lovely to get quality shots of my family because they hold massive value to me, others may see the same shots differently, but the value is in the content - not the technical application - or the commercial value - Not even in their final use. The most valuable image to me is one of my son smiling on his birthday.
| LA |
