Exploring the relevance of analogue photography in a digital world

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is to understand the increased popularity of analogue photography, explore its potential for continued relevance in a digital world, and ascertain how the old and new can work together in tandem. The social and psychological implications are analysed. This research is significant due to emerging studies showing that our increasingly digital society has implications on our wellbeing, such as hampered creativity and an excessive focus on perfectionism. Furthermore, examining the continued relevance of ‘defunct’ technologies is important, as there might be something to be learned from staying in touch with our origins. Primary research was conducted through a questionnaire that was distributed online to analogue photography communities on an international scale. Some obstacles encountered include the inability to field respondents from all parts of the world, such as South America and Oceania, and limited channels of distribution. 50 respondents participated in the study, and both their simpler quantitative answers and in-depth qualitative answers were analysed. The results show that there are many reasons why analogue photography continues to be relevant and causes for concern about the proliferation of digital photography. However, an equal number of respondents expressed the two mediums can exist side-by-side. Themes such as mindfulness, tangibility, and community emerged, and respondents emphasised the desire to escape from digital technology. This research shows that there are benefits to embracing older mediums, despite being anathema to modern technology and values. Future research could examine the positive impacts of analogue photography in greater detail.