“Just like miniskirts and low-rise jeans — the digital camera is a trend that has circled back around,” claims Claire Murashima from NPR. Though digital cameras have advantages like larger sensors, adjustable aperture, and better ability to capture motion, they provide more than just cool technical features in the age of the iPhone. The pictures I have taken on my digital camera are drastically better and more meaningful than the pictures I’ve taken on my iPhone.
With the rise of digital cameras, users are more present when taking photos, reviving the meaningful connection to photos that has faded with modern technology. Due to digital cameras being separate from our phones, they capture moments more authentically than an iPhone, and encourage us to be more intentional when taking pictures.
Nowadays, teenagers will take photos everywhere: at the beach, at dinner, on vacation, and in school. But are the photos thoughtful? When taking pictures on an iPhone, we can aimlessly shoot 50 photos in 15 seconds, just clicking away. The rise of digital cameras has changed that, as you can’t take as many photos as quickly as you could have on an iPhone, but it makes the user more intentional. We have to slow down and take more time to focus, which forces us to be more intentional with each click.
In an NPR interview, “Why Gen Z loves the digital compact cameras that millennials used to covet,” by Claire Murashim, people were asked about the rise of digital cameras, and one answer touched on how digital cameras push people to be more intentional. Casey Fatchett, who has been a professional photographer for 25 years, and the host of the “Nerdy Photographer Podcast,” shared his opinion on digital cameras. According to Fatchett, “Digital cameras can also be a way to be more intentional — and selective — about the photos you’re taking, since you can’t snap an infinite number of shots.” Additionally, he shared how taking photos on a digital camera affects your brain. “Whether it’s a digital camera, whether it’s a film camera, whether it’s a Polaroid-style camera, your brain thinks about it differently,” Fatchett said. “I only have x number of photos that I can take, so I want to capture something that really matters to me.” He highlights how digital cameras force us to be more intentional when taking pictures, as you can’t just click away, making each picture more thoughtful and meaningful.
Additionally, digital cameras allow for moments to be captured with light and detail in ways that an iPhone cannot. Through the lighting, flash, and intentionality behind each picture, digital cameras capture pictures more meaningfully. The bright flash and camera settings on a digital camera change the way the subjects are portrayed in the pictures. Even in a dark or bright room, the digital camera doesn’t fail to perform, making the picture more attractive and eye-catching. A digital camera’s ability to capture important moments in a beautiful light is something unique and emotional that separates it from iPhone pictures. Every time my friends and I get together and hang out, there is always a digital camera present, capturing the memories in the making. The next morning, when the photos are shared in the group chat, I click through the beautiful pictures, reliving that moment and feelings through the intentional pictures taken.
iPhones have grown in many ways and are great tools that have pros and cons. With the rise of social media, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, there are many distractions on our iPhones. Our whole lives are on our iPhones; it’s our GPS, calendar, reminder, and alarm, and we find ourselves heavily relying on it throughout our days. Throughout my day, during a free period, I find myself reaching for my phone to get on social media and escape without noticing. Having digital cameras creates a place solely to take pictures away from distractions and allows users to be more present while capturing pictures.
Researchers have found that just having your phone nearby can affect how well people pay attention. In the article “The mere presence of a smartphone reduces basal attentional performance,” Jeanette Skowronek notes how “Smartphones receive notifications, which can trigger noises (sounds) and vibrations. These notifications and potential sounds can be a distraction for humans. Studies show the significant distraction of smartphone notifications, even when participants do not respond to the messages. Another study shows that an involuntary attention system becomes active, which actively listens to the smartphone.” The amount of distraction your iPhone brings is staggering and affects everyone, but we don’t have to be distracted while taking photos. By using a different device from our phones, like a digital camera, we can be more present while capturing pictures and not be distracted by the world on our iPhones.
In a world full of distractions, photography and taking pictures should be the place where none of those exist. Pictures are very important, as they provide glimpses of moments and feelings that are cemented in time, providing a way to relive those moments. Knowing those pictures were taken intentionally and with care ties more emotions into the picture while pouring even more meaning into it. With the help of digital cameras, we can achieve that authenticity, intentionality, and presence while taking photos, creating a different photography experience.
