Analogue Versus Digital Photography

artwork by Stefanie Schneider

This article will be discussing the technical, aesthetical, and conceptual differences between analogue format and digital photography. The filmmaker David Lynch once remarked on how much he despised analogue film, describing the medium as ‘heavy, dirty, and expensive’. In 2006, Lynch filmed a full feature film entirely in digital titled Inland Empire. At the time, the act was revolutionary as feature films were still being shot with standard millimeter. Although Lynch is a filmmaker, not a photographer, his opinions reflect the diverse approach of both analogue and digital processes. While analogue film has rich contrast and a beautiful granular texture, digital photography has become well-known for the precision offered and economical applications. 

artwork by Dan Biferie

Photographers such as Stefanie Schneider and Dan Biferie are both known for their analogue format photography, with Stefanie, she is specifically cited for her use of expired film with a polaroid camera. Dan Biferie's approach entails bringing out his subjects through the deep granular texture and rich theatrical contrast of format photography, along with his masterful compositions, to enhance the characteristics of his subjects, both people and churches. The sociological implications of Dan’s photography gives a deep historical and cultural context to his art. Martin Waern has an extensive background in analogue photography but prefers to shoot digital for most of his work. He is specifically known as a ‘shoot-and-destroy’ photographer, which means, once the photograph has been printed, the original file of the photo becomes destroyed, as a result, the print becomes one of a kind. Jaina Cipriano and Shawna Ankendrandt both shoot digital but are known to leave their photography completely unedited, as in they do not use Photoshop or any other means of digital alteration to enhance their photography. 

artwork by Martin Waern

Analogue format photography remains incredibly popular by fine art photographers today as artists are specifically looking for ways to distinguish themselves in the field amongst their peers. Format photography offers a sense of imperfection, vintage aesthetic, apparition-like qualities as well interpretative implications through process. Digital methods on the other hand have an appeal of offering a valuable variation of saturation levels through light exposure, economical output, and a sense of precise detail to capture the nuance of the subject, especially with cameras which have high megapixel capacity.

artwork by Stefanie Schneider

Increasingly, more and more photographers who are not completely embracing analogue photography have delved into alternate methods of expression. Digitally unedited photography, shoot-and-destroy, using hand-made props as well as set design and utilizing actors for performative pieces. For the latter, performance art photography has become specifically known as ‘conceptual photography’, although the artform can be applied to still life as well. A photographer like Dasha Pears, however, fully embraces digital technology to create heavily altered digital images. She uses handmade props, real actors, and genuine shot locations, but she alters the image in Photoshop in order to create a hallucinogenic effect which she describes as ‘psychorealism’.

artwork by Dan Biferie

In conclusion, photographers have a variety of mediums and methods to express themselves both through analogue format and digital processes. As the examples we have shown in the article, artists are utilizing interpretative methods to create a distinction conceptually and aesthetically. Photography remains a relatively young medium which isn’t even two full centuries old. Performance art remains literally only decades in age and could be described as reliant on film in order to come towards a full potential. Utilizing integrative methods such as assemblage, performance-based art, collage, and set up props, today’s photographer can explore an endless amount of nuanced approaches to offer a variety to the audience as well as multiple conceptually-based techniques.

artwork by Martin Waern

artwork by Shawna Ankendrandt

artwork by Jaina Cipriano

artwork by Jaina Cipriano

artwork by Shawna Ankendrandt

artwork by Dasha Pears

artwork by Dasha Pears