From Darkroom to Daylight

September 15, 2015

Throughout photography's long history, its materials and techniques have undergone steady change. The transition from paper- and chemistry-based photography in favor of digital processes in the last decade, however, might mark the most radical development. Digital photography, while praised for the freedom of expressive possibilities it offers, has at the same time been accused of ending the era of darkroom expertise and forcing the art form to abrogate any claims to integrity. Through interviews, veteran photographer Wang (Adam Purple & The Garden of Eden) and editors Amy Brost (art conservator) and Edmund Carson (film editor) explore the minds and hearts of photographers, artists, printmakers, and designers who honed their skills with paper and chemistry, and of those who favor digital. The personalities of the more than 40 interviewees come through clearly--in words and black-and-white portraits--in their considerations of a subject that evokes nostalgia, passionate opinions, and visions of the future. VERDICT This volume will generate enthusiastic discussion about what has been gained and lost with the adoption of digital methods.

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