Scuba Diver Issue 4/2012, TTL No. 3
There’s a sentiment out there in the photographic world that the digital revolution has simplified things. Just get yourself the latest Nikon 800 or Canon 5D MkIII with a fancy housing, and all the different features of these state-of-the-art instruments will have you shooting cutting edge imagery in no time.
But photographic equipment is no different than any tool – harnessing its power takes more than simply owning one. In the hands of renowned photographers, who think first and shoot afterwards, fancy equipment does help to produce their innovative ideas – but it’s the inspiration that commands the equipment. Just have a look at the work of Tobias Friedrich (“360˚: The Cutting Edge” on page 84), Keri Wilk (“How to Shoot with a Snoot” on page 74) and Imran Ahmad (“Lighting the Surreal” on page 66) – three photographers who continue to push the boundaries of what we consider “cutting edge” underwater photography. Even if you go back 20 years, you‘ll find photographers like Peter Alexander Reiserer, who used cutting edge ideas to produce pictures that are still compelling and avant-garde today (on page 56) . And although his lighting was, admittedly, pretty advanced for the day, Reiserer still produced timeless images without the help of today’s digital paraphernalia. So it’s not about the number of pixels, nor the sheer number of picture programs or filters that you use – it’s still your cutting edge ideas and knowledge of photography that will help your images stand the test of time.
– Diego A. Garcia, Editor for Asia-Pacific and Australia
– Matt Weiss, Editor for the Americas
– Dietmar Fuchs, Editor for Europe and Africa
