Do we still need photographic knowledge?

The "sunny sixteen" rule works well with film.

Set the shutter speed to the reciprocal of the film speed (e.g., 200 ISO would mean 1/200 sec, or 1/250 sec in practice) and set f16 on the lens and you have the exposure for a subject lit by full sunlight.

That's the simple version. There are a mass of additional instructions as to how this can be modified for open shade, cloudy, earlier or later in the day.....I just remember the simple version.

Hi John,

I think so much depends upon the person behind the lens.

Are we after a "snap", or a "shot",?
The later being some thing that we strive to achieve, and which will impress us, our friends, family, and hopefully,(in my case some praise, or constructive critism, from Pentax Users).

I try to take better shots, and at 61+, I am still learning, and trying to emulate my peers.

I can only hope that future cameras, will not join the gadget race like mobile phones, with each manufacture adding more gizmos, that we will rarely use, or want.

Video on the K7, being an example!

Regards,

Peter(K20D, DA-18-55mm II, DA 55-300mm)

how do you know that video on the K7 is just a 'gadget' that you will rarely use or want? I used to think that about autofocus on an SLR/DSLR. Now I am not so sure. Times change

You never know which feature or application will become useful and functional. The mobile phone manufacturers never expected SMS texting to become so big, because they didn't understand the youth market.

Who knows? in a few years you may be able to make video phone calls with your Pentax K7 Plus Super automatic model

...as well have it climb Everest on its own to take spectacular panoramas in your name with your copyright info embedded in the EXIF while you observe from your sofa at home..and you may even welcome it

If our automated modern digital camera produces the image we want at the touch of a button - great - no knowledge needed. But what if the image is not what we wanted? Then a bit of knowledge comes in handy. Without photographic knowledge you have no way of working out what to do to get the desired image. Besides it is much more fun when you know what you are doing and striving to do better.

Archie

Q: Do we still need photographic knowledge?

A: Only if you want to take excellent technically superb photos.

...If you are happy with average or rubbish, then by all means remain ignorant.

Goodness, a wide subject that can be understood in many different ways. I like to think I am still learning day by day and hope I will continue to do so. I reckon that until about a year ago I took snaps, some were good some were not, now I take shots and my throwaway numbers has dropped a good deal.

However is it necessary to understand what you are doing to take a good shot, probably not, is it necessary to understand what you are doing to take continual good shots then almost certainly it is.

Without understand how a camera works you can’t have control of what you are producing. When you look at the subject you should be able to see the finished image and I don’t believe you can if you do not understand what happens when you squeeze the take button.

That is a little harse ! I consider myself a rank amateur when it comes to photography and have little technical knowledge, but I still receive many complements on some of my photos! Even with the little knowledge I have I don't always take average or rubbish. But the goods shots I take are through more luck than judgement and I believe these are the ones taken from my heart rather than my head. The harder I try to get the technically superb photos the worse they get. But the ones I take with passion seems to produce better results.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to have the technical knowledge and be the sort of photographer who can take superb photos by using the correct settings on the camera. I know a little about position and aperture and shutter speed but not much and I often forget what I learn unless I have the time and opportunity to practise, but often I find that for the type of photography I love (wildlife) you don't have the luxury of time to set up the perfect shot most of the time. But that doesn't mean I don't want to learn and improve.
So yes you do need the technical knowledge, but there is more to a good photo than just technical know how

I look at photography as both an art and a craft.

The craft is the technical side that gets the image the artist is trying to achive. Using preset modes on the camera allows the artist to bypass the requirement for any technical knowledge and get the result they wanted to achive without the need to understand the craft, or does it?

The computer in a modern camera can only follow instructions that have been programed in by the designer. Agreed the variety of modes and other clever bits they add in can do a lot to improve the images that are recorded but there is a limit to the variety that automation can achive. Also the cameras have no capacity for original thought!

With knowledge of the craft, and kit that allows us to use that knowledge, the artist in us is able to create images that go beyond the confines of the camera 'mode'. It allows me to attempt to create the image I have in my head as an artist, using the craft to create the image. I'm not always succesful, i'm still learning my craft and probably always will be, but the reward is when it all works. That is the whole point. That is why photography is an art as well as a craft and both are interdependant.

There are times when I just want to record a time, place, event and then I am quite likely to switch to Green. Even then the artist in me starts to visualise things differently and the artist wakes up the craftsman to get the image the artist wants, not what the camera designer thinks I may want. After all the designer doesen't even know me, probably doesen't speak my language and certainly hasen't read my mind!