Whodathunk!

This might be a first at Futurballa Blog, but I'm linking to Glenn Reynolds, but not in his guise as conservative blogger, Instapundit, but instead writing at Tech Central on our favorite subject, digital photography.

Mr. Reynolds makes some excellent points about why digital is changing the nature of the pictures we take.

Web photos have a number of limitations compared to prints, but those limitations may -- as limitations have done throughout its history -- shape the nature of photography for the medium. Back when photography was limited to black and white, lighting and shadows were the dominant theme (think of Edward Weston's famous studies of nudes and peppers, as collections of interlocking shapes). Web photos have different limitations, but the results will likely be similar. Web photography is limited in resolution -- since most monitors won't display more than 72 dots per inch, photos are either low in resolution or displayed as so huge that viewers can't see more than a fraction on-screen at any given time.

He goes on to explain how camera manufacturers are pushing the envelope in the opposite direction, making 8, 11 and even 14 megapixel cameras (not too mention digital backs for medium and large format cameras that can top 30 megapixel) that can produce high quality photographs which can only be truly appreciated in a large print.

Interestingly, I myself have found that my 4 megapixel point and shoot, downsizing the images in Photoshop CS, is my preferred device for photoblogging, while using high resolution digital slr's (borrowed still, but not for too much longer) or film for my "serious" photography.

Certainly the images I choose to display on the blog are different then the ones I create for my photo galleries at my other site, or offer for sale.

Read The Greatest Picture Show on Earth.

[Link via George]