From Film Rolls to AI How Photography Has Changed

Kevin Parsons possesses a unique perspective on the journey of photography, holding a tangible link to its past. He is the keeper of his mother's cherished collection of photo slides and 8-millimetre film reels from the 1950s and 60s in Western Australia.

"Anything in town, she would be there," he recalled.

"Mum took some really good photos at times, especially out in the bush, good scenery."

These images, mostly from Geraldton and its surrounding regions, offer a quiet echo of a time before the area grew into the bustling city it is today.

Kevin Parsons holds the camera his mother used prolifically during the 50s and 60s. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)

In an era without internet or social media, sharing photography was a communal event. "We used to have film nights in those days and get family and friends to come over and watch," Mr Parsons said. Now in his 90s, he appreciates the simplicity of his mobile phone. "It's a lot easier... you look at it immediately," he noted. "If it's not a good photo you take another one."

In a world where digital images disappear with a swipe, holding a physical photograph can feel rare and special. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)

The Shift From Capturing Moments to Creating Images

While the technology has leaped forward, has the fundamental reason we take photos changed? Emily Brink, an associate professor in the history of art at the University of Western Australia, suggests it has. She explains that early photography was often more commemorative.

"Photography's other promise, other than being a capture of truth, was that it was an arrest of time," she said.

Dr. Brink argues that modern, virtual photography is different—it's more controlled and focused on creating a perfect image rather than authentically capturing a moment.

Emily Brink says our personalities are often split between our social media and actual identities. (Supplied: Emily Brink)

"The way that we are experiencing our lives now is so increasingly mediated by the photograph," she explained. "You go out to have a meal and do you sit and enjoy that meal or are you photographing that meal for Instagram? Your personality gets split between the social media personality you're constructing and the person you are actually... who you are in the world."

Redefining the Photographer in the Digital Age

The question of what it means to be a photographer today is central to this evolution. "Authorship is really at the heart of all these questions," Dr. Brink stated. "I want to believe that a photographer is still somebody who is choosing to take an image, not choosing to purely make an image."

She suggests that our fascination with old, imperfect photos stems from their authenticity compared to the polished, glossy images that dominate social media feeds. "We are no longer dealing with the kind of codes of construction that we ascribe to photography historically. It's more akin to design."

Some argue we lose a sense of community when we experience content on our own instead of together. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)

Something is also lost, she argues, when sharing becomes virtual rather than face-to-face. "I think we lose some of the serendipity of laughing at the terrible photograph of the finger over somebody's head, in the same time and space," she said. "When we acknowledge our shared imperfection that's really where community might be generated."

Mr. Parsons recalls communal photo slide-show nights with family and friends. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)

A New Kind of Shared Experience

Not everyone sees the modern way of sharing photos as a negative. A decade ago, French designer Valentin Mermet-Bouvier created a music video called "Cliche," showcasing hundreds of people taking nearly identical photos. He believes the video is still relevant.

"It just proves that we have the same need of sharing the same thing when we're in the same situation."

The clip emerged as Instagram's popularity was surging. "Lots of people were thinking the new generation were really egoistical and self-obsessed but I don't think it's true," he said. "I think people have always been like that; the only thing that's changed is the possibility of sharing pictures."

Photography film has become a niche medium with the advancement of digital imaging. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)