Have technological developments undermined the truthful nature of Essay

Have technological developments undermined the truthful nature of photography or have they provided new creative possibilities - Essay Example In its earliest forms, due perhaps in large part to the fact that exposure times were lengthy as the technology was in its infancy, photography was used as a narrative form, but even this early in its history, technological developments were allowing for more creative expression than simply recording the ‘truthful’ image. â€Å"At the turn of the century [1900], a small group of serious photographers tried to rescue the art form from its low estate by turning their backs on the more blatant forms of narrative photography and its continued reliance on and subservience to painting. They sought a more independent poetic vision based on the camera lens and motivated by a concern with contemporary forms† (Brown, 1971: 31). Thus, while it might be said that â€Å"The new malleability of the image may eventually lead to a profound undermining of photography’s status as an inherently truthful pictorial form† (Ritchin, 1990: 28), the new technological develop ments offered to photography are merely the latest in a long line of photographic tools that can be used to explore new creative possibilities and/or provide truthful representation, based upon the decisions made by the photographer. At no point in its history can photography be said to have been limited to merely ‘true’ forms of capturing images. To understand this, it is first necessary to understand how the development of the digital camera is similar to the early development of the traditional camera and then to take a look at how each works to produce images which can be manipulated in various ways to arrive at an idea of ‘truth’. There is no doubt that the boom of available digital cameras and their immediate integration with desktop computers and other devices has been revolutionizing the photography industry. There are many physical advantages to going digital over more traditional methods. Although