Head to Head - Print Photographs

Hello Class!

On Monday I recounted to you the story about film versus digital and former President Clinton. In today's article, Ms. Svokos shares similar ideas on the problems inherent with digital images. She states that digital photos suppress anticipation and spontaneity. She also notes that paper-based photographs can't be altered or improved.

I. Is she correct in her statement that digital photos can be lost forever (and suggesting that paper-based photos can be preserved)?

II. Svokos maintains that the social custom of sharing photographs with family members has been changed from an immediate, physical interaction to one of "crowding around a laptop to click our ways through a Facebook album" (p. 141). What are the positive aspects of digital photo sharing, and what are the negative aspects?

III. How have online photo sharing sites like Flickr.com  and Google Images changed the concept of the photo album? In my opinion, it is now easier to share photos (and other documents) with distant friends and family, but harder to share them with family and friends in the same room as you.