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Without a doubt we are in the digital age, and in my opinion nothing signifies that more than photography.
I speak from experience since my love for photography began in high school and continued through my 12 year tenure as chief photographer at WKBN-TV. My time at WKBN began by shooting 16mm film and progressed through the advent of 3/4-inch videotape. Back then WKBN photographers also shot slides and even Polaroid photos. It was a great experience, and I loved it.
But, as much as I loved my time at WKBN my main love has always been wildlife photography and the challenges it presents. My first attempts at wildlife photos were stifled a bit by the equipment available back then. One of my first professional grade cameras was a Crown Speed Graphic. If you know what that was you should probably have a degree as a photography historian. The Graphic was the big camera often shown in old movies. It was clunky, but it sure proved me to be a professional, especially with the big old flashbulbs it used. They were bright enough light up a football stadium.
That big camera was my pride and joy, but certainly not ideal for wildlife photography. It used 4- by 5-inch sheet film and that made it basically a one shot camera for wildlife. I changed to a Nikon 35mm through the lens reflex and my wildlife efforts got better, but now digital photography has made film cameras obsolete. Who wants to use a photographic medium that requires waiting until the film is processed before you even see if you actually have a photo. Now in the digital age anybody can take a reasonably good photo using their cell phone so why even buy a camera?
Cell phone photos might be great, but not for me. I need an actual camera that I can hold up to my eye to frame my photos. Maybe that proves I've missed the time warp and am destined to dwell forever in the magic land of Kodachrome. Of course Kodachrome has gone the way of all magic kingdoms and I need to adjust to its demise.
Rather than weep for the loss of film I am adjusting to digital, just like I gave up shooting news on 16mm film and forced myself to learn the idiosyncrasies of video tape. I believe Joe Gillis was news director when he and I shot the first Mini-Cam story in the Youngstown area.
My digital camera is an older Canon Digital Rebel. I can't even buy new cards for it, but the photos are plenty good enough for me. In addition to the lens that came with it I have a 75-300 mm zoom lens. It has no image stabilization as those lenses are above my price range for a hobby. Instead I will just use a monopod to steady the camera when I shoot and that will have to be good enough.
The challenge I now have is to learn to use the Rebel as well as I did my Nikon film cameras. That will take a lot of reading the manual as comparing this digital camera to film is like comparing the Bronze Age to the Industrial Revolution. It is a matter of learning what this camera will do and how to make it do it, and I'm a guy who's frustrated by my cell phone.
The best way for me to learn any new technique is to get out there and make my mistakes so I plan to go sit in my blind and hope something photogenic wanders by. Maybe I will get lucky and have a decent photo to show you someday, but even if I get nothing, I will enjoy time sitting in my blind observing nature.
And don't think I'm giving up hunting as I have my license and permits and just might decide to take a buck, but right now I want to do my hunting with my camera. I'll let all the other hunters get their venison.