I've been thinking about how digital photography has impacted me. On Saturday, Clay and I went to Newport News to film a specific trick that he wanted to nail. We were there for an hour to get it. Clay didn't give up and I was there at each attempt to get the sequence on film. I must have taken 500 pictures in that hour and I thought to myself, how awesome it was to have digital at that moment.Gnarly.

Digital has become more practical for those new to photography. The instant feedback and EXIF data really shortens the learning curve. However I really miss making black and white prints. There was just something magical about watching your photo come alive in the developer. There was always more work getting your image printed that taking it.

The problem I have that gets overlooked in the digital era is that while it is easier to learn the fundamentals on digital, it has now become harder to make my image stand out against everyone else's. Without the constraints of a fixed amount of film, its only a matter of time until you get a good image. The challenge for me is to be perfect every time. I would say that competing in the digital era forces me to be a better artist. Ansel Adams always talked about the importance of previsualization. This concept weighs heavier on my mind now because my success is dependent upon the strength of my vision.