I’ve been thinking about this a lot these days - how are all the massive changes going on in the media world going to affect us as photographers? What does the introduction of all these devices mean for us as well? iPads and other tablet devices - are we going to just look at them as tools to show our portfolios better; as a remote monitor for our HD DSLR’s, or is there an opportunity there that might really spur some photographic opportunities?
If you or a family member is IN the newspaper or magazine business, you’ve been thinking about this as well. Wondering when the other shoe was going to drop. In just a couple of years, the changes have been dramatic. But, it can’t be that all newspapers and magazine are just going to disappear! There has to be SOME way that they are going to morph into something else, right?
Well, in my research, I began looking at what some companies are doing. And in doing so, ran across some exciting things. First, if you haven’t checked out the New York Times or Boston Globe Readers, you are missing a real treat. These are Adobe AIR created wrappers for content, and they make reading a newspaper on your computer screen SO much better! If you look at how these readers where built and then into the future of where they are going, you start to feel a little more comfortable. In fact, Adobe says that they are coming out with a ‘packager’ that is going to allow Flash to run on the iPhone and iPad! Another problem solved. Just watch this YouTube video as an example…
Now think about what you just saw and the opportunities for photographers. The car commercial - clearly some studio work and a LOT of it to show all the different angles of the vehicle. How about all the video in there? Clearly, they are not going to go out and ask the guys who make movies and get paid a TON of cash to do it to film these covers and inside stories, are they?
I’ve been told I’m obsessed with the convergence of still photography and film - maybe so, but when you watch something like the example above - don’t you get excited for the opportunities it presents for us? Newspapers and Magazines are going to have to adopt these kinds of technologies or they are going to die. Television AND radio stations are really trying to boost their online components. Television - they’ve got video, but who’s shooting the stills for their sites? Radio - they don’t have the capability to do either, but they need it as well.
So, this death I’ve been hearing about? Maybe it’s just consolidation, and MAYBE it spells opportunity for those photographers who figure out a way to get there first. What are your thoughts?
