On Photography

just press the button?

In 1888 George Eastman, Kodak’s visionary founder, coined the marketing strapline ‘you press the button, we do the rest’ targeting the snap-happy amateur wanting a physical record of their life, people and places. They simply pressed the button and sent the film to Kodak to develop, thereby separating what was up until then the two main elements of photography.

Roll forward over one hundred years and while the technology has changed, millions of people still ‘press the button’ and let the ubiquitous smartphone ‘do the rest’, allowing instantaneous consumption, albeit in 2 dimensions. Eastman’s prophetic slogan is as relevant today as it was in 1888, ease and convenience remains a highly marketable commodity, foremost in the mind of many.

Beyond such routine simplicity is a craft that although wrapped within the same identity follows a diametric path. A craft founded and developed by science yet one that evolves as a form of artistic expression, each with their own unique challenges but interdependence.

Photography began for me 30 (or so) years ago. Since then it has put me in some stunning locations, enriched travels and educated. It demands an open mind, a personal vision and the harmony of art and science. It rewards curiosity, patience and resilience without the dependence on others. It frequently brings disappointment and occasionally euphoria. It allows escapism, contemplation and reflection.

‘Pressing a button’ is easy, learning ‘when to press it’ and ‘where to stand while doing so’ are the demanding parts of the process. Suffice to say they remain a lifelong challenge.