Comments from James Nachtway...

[Matt. K]

Nachtway is one of the worlds finest living photographers. A dedicated Canon user he has recently switched to digital photography.
The comments about the switch:

No one knows everything, and everyone knows something a bit different. We are all teaching each other as we go along. For me, it was not easy, but I’m now a fully re-booted electronic photographer — if necessary.

How has digital photography changed your process?
I still much prefer to have my originals on film. It’s a matter of quality, but also a better way for me to edit and eventually store my images. However, even though I like to shoot film whenever possible, my pictures now always become digitized through scanning. I use the computer to scan, tone and transmit every bit as much as I would if I was shooting my originals on a flashcard.

The working procedures of our agency, VII, are based on decentralized production. Each photographer independently produces their own scans, tones them and transmits them to the agency. Having our filing cabinets in cyberspace saves us a lot on rent and staff and keeps our operation lean and affordable. Computers come into play every bit as much, even though most of our pictures originate on film. In the field I carry a PowerBook G4, and in my studio I use a dual processor Power Mac G4 and an Epson 2200 printer.

Is a good photojournalist now a good digital photojournalist?
I can only speak for myself, but documentary photography and photojournalism are based on perception, not on technology. It doesn’t matter to me if my pictures are shot on film or digital. Photographs are a product of heart and mind and the ability to connect. But technology is absolutely essential as a delivery system, and in journalism the delivery is vital. From a strictly job-oriented, professional standpoint, it’s critical to be able to deliver on digital technology. The qualities that make a good journalist, however, have not been programmed.

[gstark]

Matt,

Excellent article. Thanx for sharing

[MHD]

Well, tbis is where, not amoungst this forum, but definately in the photographic world, I am a rare one. I did very little work on film (limited to P&S) and much of my photog learning curve was on digital..... So I have very litt;e affinity for film. And the thought of having to give my product to some one to process to find out if I nained exposer is just odd...

[gstark]

But thee's no need to give your film to others to process. B&W processing is quite easy to learn, and oh, what fun, especially in the darkroom.

The wonder of seeing the image just ... appear ... on the paper is a thrill that nobody should miss.

And cheap film bodies abound.

[Mj]

mmm... the smell of chemicals wafting in the air !!!

[gstark]

Out of curiosity, do we have any interest in doing some film based workshops?

[Matt. K]

Gary
I would be happy to run some darkroom training for those who are interested.

[Dargan]

MattK is Mj related to you in some dark way?

[fozzie]

Matt. K

Is it safe to assume that you do your best work in the dark?


Cheers,

[Greg B]

I still enjoy the smell of photographic chemicals.

Gary, I agree, it was great fun printing from film to paper, watching the image appear in the developer dish, etc etc.

[Matt. K]

Dargan
MJ kinda stands out from the background. I move more stealthily through a landscape.