Snapping away at analog....one pixel at a time
Giovanni Rosendo, staff writer

For those who don’t know, I am a photojournalism major.  I love taking photographs, especially in black and white. 

It all started one bright and shiny day.  It was my sophomore year in high school, and I was just trying to find myself.  I was failing to make it to class more and more.  Then, one day while on an adventure, I found myself in a pawnshop and came across a 35 mm Canon EOS Rebel.  I fell in love.  If I remember correctly, I spent roughly $180 for that wonderful piece of equipment.

As soon as I bought that camera, all my classes for the next semester made a complete 180, and as soon as I could, I enrolled in a photography course and joined the newspaper staff.

I love black and white photography. The grace of the final print of the photos, not so much with a glossy finish but in satin, leaves me in awe.  My legs still shiver.  The most important reason why I love taking photos, not because I love traveling and hope to someday communicate with millions of people without saying a word, is that it is an art.  Art takes time.  It’s not something that can instantaneously be finished and forgotten. 

Everything about photography takes time.  To get the right photograph, you must understand what kind of point you want to get across and what would be the most efficient way to make that point.  It’s like permanent charades.  But you don’t stop there.  The photos don’t automatically form themselves then get placed on paper.  There’s way more developing, then drying, then enlarging, then developing, then drying and repeat. 

It makes me ecstatic.

So you can understand my disappointment when everything turned digital.  Everything that was once arduous and innocent was now exploited and made consumer-friendly.  (Don’t get me started on consumer America).

A funny thing has happened recently though.  It’s really ironic, when you think about it.

Last semester, I made another investment.  Only this time it was a Canon EOS Rebel, that is digital.  I caved in!  What in the world possessed me to conform, not even really conform, but sell myself this short?  I feel used, and yet, justified.  Hear me out.

Since being on the newspaper staff, even in high school, there’s always been a little Gio inside of me that has been shamefully interested in digital photography.  On the newspaper though, it is more efficient to use digital, seeing as how “interesting” news and “good” shows are few and far between.  Digital gives you fast and easy feedback, while film has to be developed and taken care of carefully.

I’m not dissin’ on my love for analog photography, but digital is addictive.  Since obtaining my digital SLR, I’ve been obsessive about finding a compact digital camera with the LCD screen.  EBay, Best Buy and any other entertainment store that carries cameras, fear my wrath.

Basically, though, I want it for when my friends who are out of town come back to visit, so that I can take pictures of them without having to haul any sort of bulky camera.  My interest in digital photography is not solely based on the instant-gratification society that we live in.  I do not look at it as a replacement for film photography, because it could never take its place…and anyone who thinks so is a darned fool!