Kodak, again

[semi-ambivalent]

Just now stopped by at www.slashdot.org (a tech/nerd site) and they have a post about Kodak. The post links to a WSJ article but has this snippet in it:

"...What Kodak failed to understand is that people have switched from taking photos for remembering and commemorative reasons to using photos for identity and communication. The shift changes the emphasis away from print to social media platforms and dedicated apps.""

I don't examine my reasons for doing photography very often, and I don't live with a phone in my hand. But, at 58, I'm not one of the cohort that is defining culture.

s-a

[Paul Jenkin]

It's an interesting point that the website makes. When I was a kid, our family always used to get out the photo box and albums when relatives came round. These days, most people seem to live solely in the "here and now" with little thought for the past. Consequently, instant and, more recently, digital photography have taken over as the high volume users.

I prefer film to digital, though I use both, but I must admit that if I'm simply snapping friends and family, I tend to reach for the digital camera for sheer convenience's sake.

[railwayman3]

It's an interesting point that the website makes. When I was a kid, our family always used to get out the photo box and albums when relatives came round. These days, most people seem to live solely in the "here and now" with little thought for the past. Consequently, instant and, more recently, digital photography have taken over as the high volume users.

I prefer film to digital, though I use both, but I must admit that if I'm simply snapping friends and family, I tend to reach for the digital camera for sheer convenience's sake.

I, too, can remember the slide shows (and, perhaps to a lesser extent the 8mm home movies) with friends and relatives, up to maybe about 20 years ago. Often they formed a pleasant social evening with a few drinks and nibbles.

Maybe one difference was that long-haul holidays, etc., still had some novelty, or that people had time to put together interesting slide sets of their favourite subjects or hobbies.

It's unusual now to see any holiday pics, except maybe the odd on-or-two on a tiny screen on the back of a digital camera, while information on any subject is instantly available on the web. And I know of no-one who puts their digital prints (other than family shots) in frames or albums.

[BrianShaw]

When I was a kid, our family always used to get out the photo box and albums when relatives came round. These days, most people seem to live solely in the "here and now" with little thought for the past. Consequently, instant and, more recently, digital photography have taken over as the high volume users.

I understand both of your points but not how they are related. We still get out the photo box when family and friends visit. It is no different with digital... we load a memory stick and display the photos on the TV (or in a digital picture frame). We even print pictures to send to "old folks" who aren't comfortable with technology. So do most people we know. Seems like Costco and other drug store type photo processors who still exist do most of their business printing digital images. I'm not sure what the WSJ reporter is talking about... other than there are new avenues for sharing pictures.

[jeffreyg]

Most people are interested in convenience and instantly getting results. With digital cameras they don't even have to think most of the time the cameras do it for them even knowing when a person blinks or doesn't smile. I recently noticed that as the cellphone cameras have improved that sales of inexpensive point and shoot cameras are down so camera manufacturers are pushing the higher end cameras with more bells and whistles. Who knows at this rate they may move back into film.

For those of us who still appreciate film and printing it will probably still exist. There are still some artists who use charcoal and look how long that has been around.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

[zsas]

But they are trying to come back...

Today's press release from Kodak:
"Kodak Continues to Innovate Offering Brilliant Ways to Do More with Your Pictures
Over 1 Million Users Enjoy Printing Photos from a KODAK Picture Kiosk Making Printing Pictures from FACEBOOK More than a Status Update"

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Kodak-...31261.html?x=0

Anyone's guess if this is profitable venture

[Hatchetman]

There are still some artists who use charcoal and look how long that has been around.

My sources tell me that charcoal usage is trending down at 10% per annum. Given the current situation, I don't see how charcoal is a sustainable business.

[Steve Smith]

I, too, can remember the slide shows

I can remember our last family slide show too. It was in April last year!


Steve.

[Aristophanes]

My sources tell me that charcoal usage is trending down at 10% per annum. Given the current situation, I don't see how charcoal is a sustainable business.

Not if we run out of shovels.

[Hatchetman]

We had our last family slide show a couple weeks ago. I need to shoot more film because I'm running out of new material!