For me, the bell started to tingle about a year ago. I began to notice small camcorders sneaking into the gear bags of colleagues and photographer friends. Then websites like MediaStorm came onto the scene offering a rich visual mix of still images, video clips, sound and variations, thereof. The possibilities seemed without limit and truly amazing. With fewer and fewer venues – magazines, newspapers, galleries and the like – through which to “tell the story,” it all seemed a ripe transition for the internet and the road for photography, as a whole, ahead.
The call came from those who built their renown as still photographers too. Just over a half-year ago, New York image-maker Vincent Laforet looked into his crystal ball to see clearly the writing (with light, of course) beginning its appearance on the proverbial wall – the internet is becoming and will continue its stride to lead as a premier venue for photographers of all kinds. Multimedia (this marriage of sound, stills, video) is the dynamic wave of the future for photography as we’ve known it and image expression in expanded form, in general.
OK – so now I’ve personally heeded the call, not with separate devices for each and every step of my visual (and audio) way, but with a Canon 5D Mark II, giving me access to both still and video formats when and where I want them – in just one package. Nikon dabbled with it when they introduced their Nikon D90 Digital SLR with HD Video Mode and now Canon is doing it too. Multimedia horizon? Go figure!
With the introduction of a brand new website – new look, feel and interactive functionality – at the start of classes on 7 January 2009, The Compelling Image will take its own steps in this exciting direction. Courses in multimedia storytelling, as well as practical experiences in video editing, portfolio reviews, “weekend” workshops – not to mention TCI’s more “traditional” photo course offerings – will be on offer to usher in this new future for our ever-growing student body.
But this is just the beginning. Throughout the year ahead TCI plans to take its students still further, creating – and publishing (if that’s a personal goal) – their visual expressions in a whole new range of exciting formats for the internet and beyond. We at The Compelling Image are excited by all these changes and additions and certainly hope you’ll come along for the journey – your journey of visual expression.
David Bathgate for TCI
Photojournalist David Bathgate teaches online photography and photojournalism courses at The Compelling Image.
