Helping Dad love photography again in the digital age?

<p>My question is whether he's interested in processes and equipment or the final image. If you're final print oriented, it doesn't matter if the equipment and process uses film or is digital - seeing the image and making the final print are reasons you're using the equipment.</p>

<p>If he feels like it's too easy to take pictures, then it sounds like he's process oriented as "too easy" never enters into the equation if you're oriented towards making the image. The hard part is seeing the photograph, and not operating equipment and using a specific process. The equipment / process is just how you get to the final print.</p>

<p>For many people, the surprises inherent in the film process are part of the excitement in image making. And many never want to go past that point. With slides, there's nothing quite like opening the box and laying them out on a light table and carefully looking through them with a loupe. Sometimes you get the unexpected result and that's exciting as you're discovering the image all over again.</p>

<p>If he liked taking slides with a manual camera, then that's what he should do. He can replicate the exact process he found exciting any time he want to - slide film is available, as are manual cameras, all he has to do is go out and make exposures with the process he finds "exciting."</p>

<p>However, I'm not sure he's really interested in photography anymore as he stopped using film (taking photographs) on his own, that points to different reasons for not taking photographs. "Too easy" and the rest of the conversation are just excuses.</p>

<p>Rather than talking to him about equipment and processes (digital / film / cameras, etc.) try talking about photography and find out what, if anything, interests him within the medium (photographs, photographers, etc.) - you may find out he'd rather be out golfing....</p>

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<p>"But with fathers that age, you can't ask too much of them - mine is a bit lost because the version of the Nikon software that his new camera needs crashes and he doesn't want to move over to an Adobe program."</p>

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<p>Yeah - old people - can't live with them, can't chop them up and make them into sandwiches. Sounds like a personal problem (technophobic) and not one related to age. I started using computers in 1983 and don't find computers or software the least bit confusing or intimidating. They're just another tool to be used.</p>

<p>You just roll with the technology changes IF you're interested in making photographs digitally. If not, you use a darkroom, which is equally as challenging, but in a different way. I have both a darkroom and a lightroom and feel at home with either workflow.</p>

<p>At this point, I'd rather use a digital workflow as the end result is (for me) is better. But, then I'm only 62 and don't feel a day over 61...</p>

<p>Robin, I'm not too much older than you, and I shoot both film and digital. I have a number of semi-related thoughts based on your question.</p>

<p>I have a number of classic film cameras, but my primary film interest is medium format. I have a nice DSLR and also a P&S. I'm not a big fan of the P&S, but it's nice to have when a big DLSR is impractical. So to some degree, I know where your father is coming from in that sense.</p>

<p>I shoot primarily B&W film, saving digital for color. I process and print/scan my film myself. B&W is pretty easy to handle the basics of developing and printing, and quality used equipment is readily available fairly inexpensively. To me, the whole process with film is enjoyable, from the shooting to the processing. I tell you all this because I wonder if your father has, over time, realized that people don't really enjoy sitting through slideshows of other people's photographs, and he's associating that with shooting. Taking a different angle, and adding something new and interesting to shooting film may be what he needs. Even if he doesn't want to set up a darkroom and buy all that equipment (or store it), developing is easy and requires a minimal amount of space, and then the negatives can be taken to a photo shop for scanning or printing. I also agree with the suggestion above that maybe an inexpensive MF camera like a folder or TLR may capture his interest...those huge negatives compared to 35mm ones are something...makes the 35mm negs seem tiny.</p>

<p>As far as digital goes, getting the camera out of auto and shooting RAW ultimately requires time spent at the computer processing the images. Shooting JPEGs may mean a lot of fiddling with different settings based on the changing conditions, and spending so much time thinking about the gear rather than shooting may be causing his lack of enthusiasm. If he isn't comfortable or interested in spending the time doing the computer processing or fiddling with the camera, his interest in the hobby will suffer.</p>

<p>Perhaps he has also grown accustomed to not shooting. Once you leave a hobby, especially one that takes some skill, it can be hard getting motivated again out of fear that you won't be as good as you used to be, and that can be intimidating. Getting him to go out and shoot may alleviate some of those concerns and rekindle the spark.</p>

<p>I am 67 and enjoy my photography. I mainly shoot with small digicams, some quite old by digital standards..Like 5 years old!I love shooting film, used very carefully. Sure I don't shoot a lot, almost nothing compared to digital, but way higher satisfaction and results. Yes get scans. Even low resolution are plenty good on a monitor. Slide film available but certainly more expensive than negative. Slide projectors are available very often a Thrift shops and sometime simply free.<br>

You should ask him directly. Maye he's simply tired. If so, forget it..I love every moment of photography. Its always been part of my life. The beauty of snapping, even as a pro, was not simply shooting but the fact one had to go to a place or person, a whole experience. A writer never actually has to be present or at an event.. Us photographers have to be in the"zone".</p>

<p>I offer only two thoughts:<br>

Perhaps he misses the simplicity? If so, then perhaps one of the modern rangefinder-like digital cameras that I've seen (epson R-D etc). They are supposed to have the manual rangefinder viewing experience coupled with simplicity and manual operation if desired. Nice small package for street shooting etc.<br>

Another thought is a hybrid approach. How about a Canon Rebel body (XT, XTi), and an m-42 converter with focus confirmation chip and a couple of inexpensive manual screwmount m-42 lenses? He can use the manual settings and gets the manual feel of focus and settings in a very simple to use package that has that old-school feel. Lower cost of entry. I use this myself and found it very satisfying.</p>

 

<p>if a person has lost interest in things that were previously enjoyed, don't rule out depression. fatigue, lost of interest, low self esteem etc,. prozac is only $4/mo and makes a big difference for many of us. </p>

I'm sort of in the same boat but I'm sure my Dad is just a little techno shy... I just can't hold his hand like I want to. I think Cliff hit the nail on the head .. the old.. now for something entirely different. I myself have gone this route with folders and scanning negatives it's a happy compromise. I love going out with my Dad and light meter and just talking about how to expose the film and them developing it ourselves much like girls who cook together! I wish I had more time to be there for him!

<p>We can't really help you as everyone is different and all we can do is offer our own opinions and experiences.... so here's mine!</p>

<p>My father was a semi-pro photographer for most of his adult life and owned many manual Nikons. He wouldn't even consider getting a motor drive as he said that his thumb worked just fine.... so imagine my surprise when he bought a digital camera.</p>

<p>After a few years though, I think he got bored with it and for the last few years of his life he started collecting old cameras. Some were models he used to own but more importantly, some were the cameras he wanted but couldn't afford at the time. All of them ere (and still are) in working condition and got used regularly. Now he's gone, I often put a roll of film in one and take it out.</p>

<p>I think you need to find out what, if anything, your father wants to do and support that decision rather than push him into doing what you think he should do.</p>

<p>Here's a thought. I have a digital P&S now, but the main reason I <em>still</em> can't get seriously interested in digital actually turns out to be... <em>autofocus</em>. Once in a blue moon it could be useful to me (flying birds?) but for general use I just loathe it. Manual focusing has been part of how I use a camera since 1972, and with AF it just doesn't feel like the same experience. Yes, I know many AF cameras offer manual too, but they're just not much fun to focus manually: not really built for that, or up to it optically. (Only upscale models even have optional screens with focusing aids, and their finders don't seem bright enough anyway.) With cameras becoming obsolete every few years, who's going to build in the kind of mechanical & optical quality I'm used to? (Except Leica, and they never made their DSLR.)</p>

<p>If your father is having an experience anything like this, getting back to his favorite old Nikon and rediscovering the best workflow for it today, which might or might not involve shooting print film and/or scanning and photoshopping it, could really be the only solution. (Though I also like the suggestion above to try a classic medium-format camera instead, for the same reason.) And in either case, go on a nice trip somewhere together to use it. Best of luck!</p>

 

<p>Thanks so much to everyone for all the great suggestions! I've been chewing on them for a bit.</p>

<p>I think I will see if he's interested in going out and shooting film with me (I just purchased an FM2 from the classifieds here which should arrive soon, so we'll both have one! Also, I could use a few lessons). If he enjoys it, perhaps it will reignite his desire to shoot film (and make him realize that he still can despite the prevalence of digital) or perhaps it will make him more excited about exploring the possibilities of digital photography with his d70 (or a different digital camera). I'll scan some of his negatives or slides too to see if that's engaging. Or maybe he's truly no longer interested, in which case I'll drop it.</p>

<p>I'll post back in a while (probably a few months) with an update in case anyone is curious.</p>

<p>Thanks again, all.</p>