What happens, I often wonder, when everything we do is eventually available to anyone, is easily accessible, easily done, easily achieved, etc. Some may say "Why wonder? Let everyone explore!" Yes. It may be true. In a sense it means higher standards in anything. To stop generalizing, I will pick a topic. Photography.
Photography is art. The amazing part is it can be anything you desire it to be. But the core, the single meaning if everything were sucked out into vacuum and only one thing left behind from the meaning of 'photography' is the Art.
Photography is the Art of exploring. Is having the eye for things, the imagination before its revelation not necessarily in that order. Someone may come up with a perfect meaning to them of a unique photography. But for that to come true, dedication and hard work is needed, either to wait for the perfect moment, or create the opportunity. On the opposite aspect, someone goes and takes shots randomly and without real purpose, and then puts them in the Lightroom and painstakingly looks for that one special photograph. Whatever the way, it is an Art of discovery.
And still I ask, what is the outcome, the side effect if you will, of taking away this work that goes into creating photographic art and making it available to everyone? Ah, so if photography is the art in the making, what about the tools available? Yes, it is the tools we use and those not yet created that prompt me to stop and consider our actions.
Modern technology is the mediator for this argument. Without it we'd still be using chemicals, and a dark room. But now, if you can shed some money, things are easily available. Standalone softwares, cameras, lenses, camera with software, phones with cameras, phones with cameras and softwares (apps), etc, etc, etc. And now Lytro. The disclaimer is, there is no disclaimer. This is my own opinion. Hence there is no direct link.
The light field camera concept is fantastic and unique in its achievement. But, its sudden wash into the market (early 2012) seems to me, will cause a lot of discomfort to photographers. It will make things that once were difficult to achieve and master, now will be a breeze to complete. And anyone with the monetary source will be able to achieve these amazing photographs that only pros were able to do, and maybe even better than what the pros have achieved so far.
I predict the road ahead will split in two: one for the casual photographer using latest technology and the other for the professional photographers using classic cameras. I think we are already experiencing it. The world of iPhones and the apps can produce amazing photographs that can further be edited with built in templates. Android is doing the same thing. Other point and shoot cameras do the same. But all are static. With Lytro, things are no longer what they were.
Will professional photographers merge and try to take from both worlds? With this Lytro light field camera so easily accessible, I don't see why not. I would do the same. Portability is what people at Lytro worked to achieve. And portability is what they are selling. But if something is so easy to achieve, where is the uniqueness anymore? Yes, I mentioned earlier "higher standards". Here is why: because pride is at stake and professional photographers can't allow any drooling teenager to produce a spectacular perfectly captured image with just a click of a button.
Can light field photography replace the everyday camera needs even those of current photographers using camera and lenses? I can't answer. We must know its limitations. For now we know it's super portable, and a new revolutionary concept. This sounds awfully familiar. Do you recall the amazing iPad commercial? And look where they are now? Has it replaces computers as we know them? No. But it sure makes for an interesting argument and conversation.
