What is a photograph?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Mark Mizen

Photographs are those things we used to buy before we had digital cameras.

I heard this definition at a recent conference on inkjet printing that I attended. I like it because there is a certain truth to this definition. I have a hard time calling a temporary image stored on a digital camera or cell phone a photograph. Somehow, a photograph sounds permanent and much of the time that is now not the case. This definition also highlights the change in imaging technology that continues to take place, with film sales declining to less than 10% of their peak sales.

Along the same line, it is certainly possible that my kids will define a photograph as those things that mom and dad put in scrapbooks before they had us. After all, they really don’t know what a non-digital camera is.

About Mark Mizen

I have over twenty years professional experience in all aspects of photography and digital imaging. I am Chair of the ISO WG5 TG2 committee responsible for physical properties and durability of imaging material and am currently with HID Global working on systems for security printing for IDs, licenses, and credit cards. Previously, I was Director of Digital Development at Creative Memories from 2009 to 2012 and was responsible for the Creative Memories digital products and services. I also established and directed the Creative Memories Technology Center, which evaluated new products prior to product introduction, assisted with production difficulties, and provided technical information to support product sales.

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