A True Developing Story

This morning I read with a twinge of sadness the news that Eastman Kodak has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Kodak and I go back a long way, to the mid-60s at least, when I was discovering the craft of photography while studying journalism in college. Photojournalism 101 was one of the requirements for my major, and I learned how to develop film and print photographs. In fact, as a graduate student, I taught other students how to do that.

At the time, Kodak was the undisputed leader among film manufacturers. I dabbled with Fuji, Agfa and other films, but Kodak was always my favorite – as it was for most people.

I remember an assignment to take photos that demonstrated mastery of depth of field, in which portions are intentionally in focus and portions are purposely out of focus. That day I went out with my girlfriend, walking around campus and taking pictures I confidently thought would be perfect for the task.

Only one problem: When I developed the film, it was clear. I’d failed to thread the film properly, so it never was exposed. Although the shutter had opened and closed whenever I pressed the button, the film hadn’t been pulled through to capture any images.

From that day on, even after becoming the editor of newspapers and a magazine, when people asked me, “Did you get any good pictures?”, I would respond, “I’ll let you know when I get the film developed.”

Kodak’s announcement was inevitable. And I’m among those indirectly to blame. Several years ago I bought my first digital camera and became an instant convert. I could see immediately whether I’d succeeded in capturing the intended image. No more waiting for film to be developed and photos printed. And the versatility of digital photography was far superior to the limitations of specific film speeds, black and white or color.

So from that day, I never bought another roll of film or shot photos using an “old-fashioned” film camera. Frankly, with the technology where it is today, I’m somewhat surprised anyone shoots with film anymore.

This just proves the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:1, which tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

 For instance, in journalism school I learned to write news stories on a manual Remington Rand typewriter; years later I obtained an electric typewriter and thought it was incredible. That is until I received my first computer – my typewriter was discarded days later.

Particularly in the realm of technology, everything has its “season,” and sometimes it’s not very long. We don’t use 8-track tapes or even cassette tapes anymore; TVs don’t have picture tubes. We can even watch films online, bypassing the need for DVDs.

We’re accustomed to things having a given lifespan. Canned and bottled foods show expiration dates. For people who still buy newspapers, the date at the top of the page essentially informs us today it’s just “old news” (compared to broadcast and Internet reports); tomorrow it will become history.

Thankfully, for people of faith, there is one exception to the “time for everything…a season for everything.” Hebrews 13:8 tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He never changes – and will never go out of date. And that’s good news!

A Non-Techie’s Praises of Technology

Can you believe where technology has taken us in just the past few decades?

When our family arrived in Chattanooga, Tenn. in 1981, USA Today was still a figment of the Gannett Corporation’s imagination. A computer might fit on your lap – if you were a blue whale. E-mail was a letter sent to racecar driver Dale Earnhardt. Being an editor for magazines and newsletters, when I took photographs people would ask, “Did you get any good pictures?” I’d reply that I’d know when the film was developed.

Virtually no one had yet heard of the Internet. GPS comprised the initials of Chattanooga’s private girls’ school. Some people speculated phones would one day become standard equipment in cars, like air conditioning and radios.

Today, online media are making traditional newspapers obsolete. My iPad, smaller than a legal pad, is more powerful than room-sized computers of years past. I regularly communicate with friends in other countries via email, and my digital camera not only immediately displays images I’ve just captured, but also moves seamlessly from still photos to video.

On a recent trip to Charlotte, N.C., we used my daughter’s SUV (back in 1981, minivans were “in”) to take our grandson back to the motel for naptime, and the GPS (I called it “Gertrude the Personal Spotter”) provided directions. When I misunderstood an instruction and missed a turn, “Gertie” immediately redirected us without so much as a frustrated sigh or angry tone. I’m writing this blog and posting it with little more than the blink of an eye.

Who knows what technology will bring us in the future? Just this week USA Today ran an article stating it might not be long before we’re regularly using smartphones at checkout lines instead of wallets. Travel, communications, commerce and every other aspect of life will continue to revel in the relentless advance of technology.

Certainly there’s been a downside to technology as well, but that’s the way we humans are. Given something good, or even neutral, we’ll try to expose its negative side. But my greatest concern is embracing technology too ardently.

Years ago I attended a liturgical church where we sang the “Doxology”: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….” I think we should have hearty appreciation for technology, but praise should go to God alone.

           

After all, He’s given us the creative spark to discover and implement new things. He’s granted us the reasoning capacity to think problems through to their solution. He’s provided the raw material for manufacturing the wonderful tools we use today.

In 2 Peter 1:3 we’re told, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” As we benefit from countless technological advancements, it might be wise never to forget the ultimate Source of those discoveries.

In Praise of Technology

First off, I’m no “techie.” If anything, I’m a technophobe, reluctant to dabble in the latest technology until absolutely necessary. But where would we be without technological advances we now take for granted?

Back in the mid-80’s, a friend – then an Apple dealer – provided my first computer, a used Macintosh 512K. The first personal computers worked at snail’s pace, seemingly taking forever to save simple documents. I often feared the power would fail before my work had gone to hard drive.

Upon using the computer, however, I became hooked. Within days I disposed of my electric typewriter permanently. Almost instantly I became a much better writer and editor, adding and deleting words, sentences, paragraphs, moving them around. No more debating whether changes merited retyping.

A similar thing happened with cameras. Over decades as a newspaper and magazine editor, people often asked if I got any good photos. My standard reply was I would know as soon as the film was processed. About three years ago I bought my first digital camera. Immediately I knew how good my photos were – and could instantly delete all I wasn’t pleased with.

Back in 1997, I returned from my first trip to Europe with 56 rolls of film, nearly 2,000 photos in all, many of them not good enough to line a birdcage. Today, I could store the same number of images on about three photo cards – and quickly delete and reshoot the unacceptable ones.

Still, I have no iPod or MP3 player. I use a basic cell phone. I rarely text, never tweet. Why overcomplicate? But I still have high praise for technology. Every week I write and edit a business meditation that is e-mailed, translated into more than 20 languages, and then redistributed to an estimated two million people worldwide. Years ago, who could have dreamed such a thing?

I'm posting this on the Internet, for goodness sake!

Many centuries ago, wise King Solomon wrote, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). I know what he meant – that the basic needs, drives, purposes and desires of mankind are unchanging. But “nothing new under the sun”? I wonder what he would have thought of a Blackberry?