Working in the Digital Age

Wireless transmitters are designed to transfer or view files. When using a camera, the data is sent wirelessly by radio waves to a receiver or a router if it’s a Wi-Fi camera. The receiver will receive the radio wave signal and make it into a standard video signal that can be shown on a monitor or any recording device. The wireless signals usually runs on a line of sight basis. In the article, About Wireless Security Cameras and Wireless Transmitters, it states “True line of sight means more than just the antenna of the transmitter can see the antenna of the receiver.”It’s important to have the right antenna available and for them to be the correct distance in order for the signals to work properly.

Image of  Wireless HDMI Transmitter and Receiver，Banne HDMI Wireless Extender 

Wireless transmitting affects photojournalist by giving them a way to transmit their images quickly over the internet. They don’t have to wait until they are on a desktop or to get the images develop to send them out to be viewed. They can easily take a picture and send it directly from the camera to any other device within seconds. There isn’t a darkroom or print making machine necessary for images to be sent out. The faster transmitting system also allows more images to be sent out. This means photojournalist can have their images sent out altogether instead of having to do one at a time in a slow developing process. Images, for example, can be sent out through transmitting during a event or broadcast live instead of having to wait until the image is ready to be printed and sent out.

Image by Marshall Mesa

Comparing the wireless transmitter to the dry plate collodion brings up a lot of differences. One difference is the amount of time each process takes to do. The wireless transmitter is so quick and takes literally seconds to send. While the dry plate collodion is a long process that requires a very long time to dry and develop. Another difference is overall the end result because transmitters just send out the images meaning on a website or just on the internet. While the dry plate collodion ends with the image being actually printed out and actually sent out to a location to be viewed. 

With the new technologies, there are both benefits and challenges that affect photojournalism now. One challenge is the issues that come with using drones for photojournalism. In the Video, Drone Photojournalism Interview Extended Cut NAB 2104, Jason Bache stated “It is not going to stop, it is not going to go back in to the box, it’s not going anywhere” I agree with this because a huge difference with technology now and before because if the photojournalist puts something out and wants to take it back it was easier to make sure no one else saw it. With the internet being so viral and quick, it harder to take an image down without it still being found somewhere else on the internet. People nowadays are so quick to screenshot or share the picture on other sources that taking it off one website will not keep it from ending up on another. 

In The Digital Mindset video, Professor Nordell stated, “the hybrid cameras that shoot still and video, some of those cameras are being used to make Hollywood movies.” This statement again reveals how the quality of cameras today have improved drastically. The cameras are so advanced that a big bulky camera isn’t even needed anymore when a movie need to be shot. Films can be record so simply with one camera and still have the high quality of a camera that is specially made for movie making.

In the Tim Hetherington on Digital Technology and Mass Communication video, Hetherington stated, “I’m trying to draw a distinction for people is between nostalgic photography and where we currently are, imagemaking, where the boundaries between the still movie images are broken down.” To me, Tim is trying show how the progression of the new technology from old has taken away from the classiness from the photos taken today. Years ago, taking photographs was more about the quality and time it took to capture an image, where now an image is just taken in one second and posted the next. There is no feeling behind or true depth behind certain images taken in the current time. There is also no effort or sense of hard work attach to photo taking. Photos don’t need to be developed in a darkroom or take hours to process anymore.

The video titled Before There were Pixels- Part 2, Professor Nordell stated “Imagine making the shift from out there with your big wagon to using a small hand-held camera like this” There is a substantial difference between having to use a whole wagon to carry equipment needed to capture an image to using a small camera that fits in your hand. Photojournalist definitely did have to deal with a shift when the new technology became popular. It was shift that I believe most found benefiting because they didn’t have to carry a huge load around just to capture a few images.With the new technology they are able to use less effort and capture more images at usually a higher quality.