2008 Woodie Awards
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
There is nothing wrong with traditional
Issue date: 12/14/06 Section: Points Of View
- Page 1 of 1
Regarding the op-ed piece by Jack Barnwell in the Nov. 30 issue of The Spectator, bemoaning the emphasis at Chabot on traditional photography classes at the expense of digital photography. Barnwell feels that we are about changing Chabot photo students by continuing to offer a full range of traditional classes.
My response is that different colleges have different strengths, and students who feel that our digital offerings are inadequate are free to transfer to Las Positas, Foothill, Laney or one of the many colleges in the area that offer a fuller range of digital classes.
Over the years, Chabot College has established a reputation as a center for quality photography and has become a destination for students from other areas and other colleges who have come to take advantage of our offerings-particularly our offerings in color printing, the fine print, creating a portfolio, and special techniques. To demolish Chabot's program in order to institute more "me too" classes would be a major error.
Digital photography doesn't need any extra help from Chabot College. It is being actively pushed by all the equipment manufacturers and by the magazines, which rely on their advertising in order to make a profit. The manufacturers love digital because it means that most professionals buy all new equipment and must continually update it - standard with computers, printers, and other aspects of the digital world.
Of the many strong arguments for preserving and promoting traditional photography, the strongest, I believe, has to do with mankind's historical heritage. I own a set of 110-year-old glass plates showing aspects of life in pre-revolutionary Russia. It is still possible to make rich, beautiful prints from these plates. I find it hard to believe that 110 years from now there will be any equipment available to read today's digital files. The ephemeral nature of digital photography means that once these images are gone, they're gone forever.
Jim Millett
Adjunct Instructor, Photography
My response is that different colleges have different strengths, and students who feel that our digital offerings are inadequate are free to transfer to Las Positas, Foothill, Laney or one of the many colleges in the area that offer a fuller range of digital classes.
Over the years, Chabot College has established a reputation as a center for quality photography and has become a destination for students from other areas and other colleges who have come to take advantage of our offerings-particularly our offerings in color printing, the fine print, creating a portfolio, and special techniques. To demolish Chabot's program in order to institute more "me too" classes would be a major error.
Digital photography doesn't need any extra help from Chabot College. It is being actively pushed by all the equipment manufacturers and by the magazines, which rely on their advertising in order to make a profit. The manufacturers love digital because it means that most professionals buy all new equipment and must continually update it - standard with computers, printers, and other aspects of the digital world.
Of the many strong arguments for preserving and promoting traditional photography, the strongest, I believe, has to do with mankind's historical heritage. I own a set of 110-year-old glass plates showing aspects of life in pre-revolutionary Russia. It is still possible to make rich, beautiful prints from these plates. I find it hard to believe that 110 years from now there will be any equipment available to read today's digital files. The ephemeral nature of digital photography means that once these images are gone, they're gone forever.
Jim Millett
Adjunct Instructor, Photography
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