The Industry

The changes in the industry are not what people think –
The change from film to digital, computer from the sink
Is surface, but the Internet – it’s impact is the key,
Dividing old from new for us, defines the change we see.

The old days had the amateur, who loved to shoot the pix,
“Advanced” still wasn’t serious, with repertoire of tricks;
They’re here today, the difference is the place they go to school,
No more a distant brickish place – but Internet that’s cool.

For we can learn ’bout anything – just Google up a term,
Some site will tell us all we need, though we still have to learn.
Now coaches, mentors, trainers, guides, all hawk their wares online,
So amateurs, professionals, are equal at this time.

Not equal in their output for it still comes down to shots,
Accreditation is no more, just “can you shoot me lots?
Just put your wares up on the net, let’s see what you can do –
If I can’t use your output, friend, I have no use for you.”

That brings me now to dinosaurs, just after climate change –
Professionals from yesterday whose world got rearranged –
They die like whales upon the beach, their customers have left,
Their world has changed, they’re overwhelmed, of their careers bereft.

Of course there’s guys with cameras around their necks the same –
They do not care about the cash, it’s more a record game;
Some pictures of the family, their trips – “see, we were there”;
Equipment now is awesome, but it’s users just don’t care.

The scientists use cameras and post-production tools,
Just as they have for decades now, within their sets of rules
Which guide their work as scientists, a tool within their task
Of probing worlds beyond themselves for answers they have asked.

But what about the artist-types with vision – where are they?
How is it they can take their pix and generate their pay?
I think it’s ‘manna’ – potency – the sparkle in their art,
Which they contribute to our world – a step beyond just smart.

They learn technique whichever way is best for each of them;
They go beyond the common touch and with each message send
That extra snap which touches us – enriches then our days,
Through mysteries of their technique impact us as we gaze.

What of the net? It brings us school, upgrades our flagging skill,
Connects us with a marketplace that’s global if you will;
It feeds ideas, concepts, thought, which stimulates our art,
It is a global village now – from home we need not part.

So was there change? I don’t think much, just one of scope and scale –
My teacher lives quite near my home, my neighbor buys on sale;
Like in the days of darkroom tents we use technology,
As manna we put in our pix – conveying potency.

You need not be a dinosaur because you went to school;
You need not stay a camera-guy with classy looking tools;
You need not work as amateur, for love of craft and skill;
If you have a vision for our world, convey it if you will.

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