{"id":2753,"date":"2016-03-04T18:26:57","date_gmt":"2016-03-04T18:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/?p=2753"},"modified":"2016-03-06T16:39:39","modified_gmt":"2016-03-06T16:39:39","slug":"the-ever-changing-world-of-photography-and-photo-sharing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/winter-2016\/the-ever-changing-world-of-photography-and-photo-sharing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Latest in Photography and Photo Sharing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Collecting and sharing photographs has come a long way since many of us were kids. Think back to the days when photography was quite an involved process from choice of the film, aperture, lighting, to processing. It was definitely not the instant gratification we have today.<\/p>\n

\"Camera_Obscura_box18thCentury.publicdomain\"

Camera obscura box, 18thCentury\/Public Domain<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Who could have imagined back then that we would have cell phones in our pockets let alone ones with high resolution cameras built inside.<\/p>\n

We have been dazzled and have embraced the technology changes over the years. Wow, remember when the Polaroid first came on the scene. Printing instant pictures was so trendy. (\u201cIs it dry yet?\u201d)<\/p>\n

[awesome-gallery id=2983]

\u00a0Vintage Kodak cameras: First Brownie camera, Brownie 127, Brownie Starmite, Instamatic. Photos: Courtesy of the George Eastman Museum<\/a>\u00a0<\/p><\/p>\n

Back in 1963, the same year the Beatles released their single \u201cI Want to Hold Your Hand,\u201d Americans were singing the praises of the introduction of the Kodak Instamatic. This easy-to-load camera allowed everyone to become a photographer. More than 70 million were sold over the brand\u2019s first seven years. And, they were cheap. At $16, everyone could afford to point and shoot.<\/p>\n

Twenty years later, Kodak, the company that introduced the first roll film and the first digital camera and are still the main player in the photography world, introduced the disk camera. Two years after that in 1985, Minolta brought the first autofocus SLR to aspiring photographers.<\/p>\n

Hard to believe, but it\u2019s only been some 16 years that the camera phone first came on the scene thanks to Sharp\/J-Phone. A year later, Polaroid went belly up, followed by Kodak no longer producing film cameras.<\/p>\n

\"Poloroid\"

Polaroid Instant Snap Digital Camera. Photo: Polaroid<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Polaroid Keeps in the Game<\/h4>\n

Today, Polaroid is screaming it ain\u2019t over yet and has introduced a retro instant camera with the latest technology to not only print photos but to upload them to various platforms.<\/p>\n

The latest model, called the Polaroid Snap<\/a>, combines digital imaging with a printing platform to enable users to easily print and share physical photos at the push of a button while saving their image for easy uploading to a computer and any social media platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we first announced the Polaroid Snap instant digital camera last fall, we were overwhelmed by the excitement around the return of classic instant photography, with a modern twist,\u201d said Scott W. Hardy, President and CEO of Polaroid. \u201cThe Polaroid Snap makes the idea of easily and instantly sharing your memories, a concept that has been part of the Polaroid brand DNA for over 75 years, relevant in the digital age, introducing an entirely new generation to the magic of instant photography.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2 by 3-inch photo prints in just under a minute, so consumers can instantly share the photo with their friends and family. Additionally, because the paper has adhesive backing, the photo can be used as a sticker as well.<\/p>\n

\"Kodak-Super-8\"

Latest Kodak Super 8 Camera<\/em>Photo: Kodak<\/p><\/div>\n

Kodak Keeps the Moments Alive<\/h4>\n

Not to take a back seat, Kodak<\/a> is bringing back its Super 8 camera.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re old enough to remember shooting home movies on film, you might feel a tug at your heartstrings when you hear that the 8 mm format is making a comeback. First introduced in the 1960s, the film allowed aspiring cinematographers the chance to shoot their own movies. Kodak packaged the film in cartridges for easy loading. You\u2019d shoot your footage and then hand it over to a processing center to develop the film.<\/p>\n

Kodak\u2019s new Super 8 cameras pack some extra tech compared to the classic models. First, you won\u2019t have to look through a small viewfinder to frame your shot. The new Super 8 comes with an LCD screen. This gives the filmmaker a lot more freedom to move the camera around while still keeping the subject in frame.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a mic that can plug directly into the camera, allowing you to capture sound to a smart card. There\u2019s a handle on the top of the camera that lets you move it around in fluid ways, and it will also support the classic pistol grip handle. Like other cameras, you can switch out lenses to get the shot style you want.<\/p>\n

Printing, cataloguing and sharing<\/h4>\n

What hasn\u2019t changed over the years is our desire to save our memories even though the method of saving and displaying has changed dramatically.<\/p>\n

What happened to all of those prints you took over the years? Sometimes the photos made it into albums, at first secured with black photo corner tabs, later behind plastic sleeves or in pockets.<\/p>\n

Of course, the family slide show was another way everyone shared vacation and family memories. How painful was it to sit through an unedited slide show?<\/p>\n

Fast forward to today. Thanks to the camera phone, everyone is a photographer (or so they think), snapping everything including themselves in the form of selfies. But, where are these photos being saved?<\/p>\n

Beyond Facebook<\/h4>\n

No doubt, you are not printing and putting together albums. Perhaps, you are a Facebook pro and sharing your photos there.<\/p>\n

Facebook is no longer the world of the college student. Many older adults are on board with their personal Facebook pages. In fact, 71% of online adults use Facebook, according to Pew Research. However, many adults still feel a little uncomfortable sharing their personal photos with everyone even if the list is \u201cfriends.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are other options out there to help you share and keep in touch beyond Facebook. To help you over the techie hurdle, we\u2019ve put together a few of these additional ways to share your family moments and works of art.<\/p>\n

Instagram<\/h4>\n

The social networking service called Instagram is an online, mobile photo and video sharing site that boasts 300 million active monthly users. What used to be available solely via mobile app can now be accessed online so regardless of whether or not a user\u2019s family and friends have a smart phone, they can feel involved in the everyday adventures.<\/p>\n

Users can snap and edit their photographs using preset filters right from the app. The option to tag a photo\u2019s location and write a clever caption is also available. Add a hashtag to join your photo to a collective album with millions of others, or use the direct-message option to share special photos with an individual or group. Instagram is easy to navigate, and the options to share moments are limitless.<\/p>\n

By default, anyone can see your photos. You can, however, make your photos private so only your \u201cfollowers\u201d can see them.<\/p>\n

Snapchat<\/h4>\n

If you are over 30, you\u2019re probably completely clueless about this photo and video messaging app. What\u2019s new and different about it is the photos and videos only last for a brief amount of time from the moment they are opened. Then they disappear.<\/p>\n

If you are someone who likes to save everything, this app is probably not for you. It has become wildly popular with teens and millennials as a way to send silly stuff and then forget about it from being circulated further. The app does request access to your entire contact list in order to create your favorites.<\/p>\n

VSCO<\/h4>\n

VSCO is a mobile photo app that allows users to shoot, edit and share their photographs. Sign up for an account, upload images into an album, then choose from a selection of easy-to-use filters to create photographer-level looks.<\/p>\n

Users can post photos to their personal page, which looks like a digital photo album that friends, family and others can scroll through and enjoy. All the user needs to provide is their site\u2019s link! There is also a \u201cJournal\u201d option, which allows users to name the particular album and add photos with text. So if you\u2019re traveling and want to give others an inside look, VSCO is a great option.<\/p>\n

\"Nixplay

Nixplay Edge. Photo: Nixplay<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

NIXPLAY<\/h4>\n

If you are uncomfortable with social media sharing and want a sort of \u201cprivate\u201d Facebook to share photos with one person, like a relative or just a few close friends or family members, you have to check out Nixplay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nixplay is a WiFi-cloud-connected digital frame. What that means is you can take a photo, send the photo by email to the frame and, voila it appears. Picture Grandma sitting in her kitchen, and you can send photos from your computer or cell phone to her. She receives a never-ending slide show of photos. She does not have to be technologically savvy, she can just sit back and enjoy (after you set it up for her, of course).<\/p>\n

\"Nixplay

Nixplay blends with a home’s decor while connecting with family and friends. <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

This is way beyond the \u201cdigital photo frames\u201d where you have to load the photos directly onto the frame. This one is loaded via email or apps on your phone \u2026 instantly.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s even cooler is you can integrate your Facebook, Instagram, Picasa, Dropbox, Flickr and more with the Nixplay web-management platform to collect and organize your images. A web account can connect up to ten frames in different locations, allowing you to create photo playlists for any of those frames, regardless of their location. With a WiFi connection, loved ones can instantly receive any playlist you choose to send and share.<\/p>\n

Available in three sizes, 7, 8, or 10 inches, you can choose between the traditional black or three other colors, blue, mulberry and mango.<\/p>\n

The Nixplay Seed frames come with a newly updated mobile app for iOS and Android to further simplify, accelerate and customize the photo-sharing experience. Anyone can download the app and use it to instantly send photos to their own or friends\u2019 frames, wherever they are in the world. Send up to 10 photos at a time from your smartphone directly to the frame and add text captions to make photos more personal and stay connected.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also good news for anyone who has trouble managing a growing collection of photos scattered across different digital devices and online platforms. With Nixplay, you can access and organize all your photos in one location, create playlists with drag-and-drop simplicity and send them to the Seed frame. Connect up to 10 frames to one account and with 10 GB of free, secure, cloud storage, you need never worry about a lost moment again.<\/p>\n

We tested the Nixplay Edge with a 98-year-old grandmother. All of the children and grandchildren were invited to be \u201cfriends\u201d of the frame. Grandma has been receiving photos from her daughter hiking in New Zealand, a grandson skiing in Montana and another one driving cross country to race bicycles. She is absolutely thrilled with the frame.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like it because I feel I am part of my children\u2019s traveling. I am getting pictures from all over the world. I like it because I get instant pictures. It sits in our kitchen and fits in with our d\u00e9cor \u2026 it\u2019s not too big or small,\u201d she said. \u201cMy only complaint is I wish it had video!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nixplay technical support tells us video is on the horizon. Very cool!<\/p>\n

<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New photo equipment to try and ways to share photos beyond Facebook<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2016","category-winter-2016-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2753"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3468,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2753\/revisions\/3468"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}