ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
“There’s just no artistry in digital photography,” he said.
“It’s so vapid and disposable. Technology is the greatest killer of creativity, you must confine yourself – limit your palate and make it a fight,”
“That’s where the best art comes from.”
You’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps Ernest Pinochet-Kong has inhaled too many darkroom fumes if he’s sprouting opinions such as that – but as it turns out, it’s not too far from the sentiments of the wider photographic community.
Albeit rather small, the dedicated and passionate film photography community in Betoota has made it clear that they don’t consider digital photography to be photography at all.
As president of the Analogue Photographers’ Guild of Betoota, the 28-year-old Ernest told our reporters that he takes pride in making things difficult for himself, artistically-speaking.
“A photo is shot in the field but it is made in the darkroom,” he said.
“A digital camera takes away that element. It means any Tom, Dick or Harry with a DSLR and a MacBook can call themselves a photographer. Well, I’ve got news for you. You are a blight on the profession and you shouldn’t call yourselves photographers!”
“Seriously, though.”
Despite his attempts to gatekeep the profession, a number of digital-camera-owning-photographers have hit back at the tertiary-educated ‘image maker’ – one even going as far as to label Pinochet-Kong a ‘fuck head’.
Gary Pooley, who bought a Canon 5D to take nice pictures of his new child and pet Labrador, said that he weeps for the future of the country if this is what young people care about in this day and age.
He spoke to The Advocate briefly while he played fetch with his dog down by the Sailing Club.
“They’re just photos, mate,” he said.
“I email them to my Mum in Brisbane, I’m not fucking Ansel Adams. Unlike this little spoon in the beret, I actually remember using film cameras when they were the only thing available. And guess what? They sucked and were a giant pain in the arse,”
“Digital cameras take better pictures, they are easier and ultimately cheaper in the long run. If you don’t agree with me, then fucking run at me… seriously, though.”
More to come.
