Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 5/6/2002 2:38:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
billagee@... writes:


> believe me, your brother in law ( I assume you used him as an 
> example because he is not a photographer) cannot produce these prints 
> on his 1280. It takes a lot more skill than just hitting the print 
> button...you are forgetting the Photoshop steps as well as the skill 
> the photographer has in making the original image..
> 
> 

Bill,
I believe the general public does not have the above quoted perception of 
digital photography.
 And if you look at all the ads by Epson, Canon etc. you can understand why. 
"Buy this printer and you too can do this in your living room folks!"
But its the same with general photography. Anybody remember that Canon 
commercial where there were two photographers at a sports event, and you had 
to guess which one was the professional? Of course the good looking guy with 
the beautiful images taken by his Rebel was the amateur. The  stumbling dork 
with the twenty two photo devices all around him whose pictures were no 
better than the other guy's was the pro! 
These companies sell equipment to the public by showing what they can do with 
the equipment. Of course the learning curve is too steep, and that's why 
professionals still exist.
But that doesn't mean the public will stop buying the equipment and expecting 
to do as well as an artist or professional.
That Canon ad didn't run too long. I would like to think that's because Canon 
realised the disrespect they showed towards their professional clientele.
George J Kunze


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