7 The Future
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The Future
Digital technology has already had a huge influence on the Photo Imaging industry and will continue to do so for many years to come - the digital technological revolution will continue. This is likely to have a number of impacts on the industry, its workforce and its skills needs.
The Future
Digital technology has already had a huge influence on the Photo Imaging industry and will continue to do so for many years to come - the digital technological revolution will continue. This is likely to have a number of impacts on the industry, its workforce and its skills needs.
- The growth of digital technology has distorted traditional sector boundaries. As well as influencing and changing the way photography and photographic processing are carried out, this expansion means that in future the sector will have to work more closely with a wide variety of associated sectors. Hence an understanding of related disciplines, particularly technical and market awareness, both on the client side and the output side, will be crucial to the survival and development of all those working in the sector, from freelancers and micro businesses through to the large manufacturing and retail companies.
- The rapid pace of change in technology means that individuals and businesses will need to constantly maintain up-to-date awareness and be ready to adapt to new circumstances. Individuals will need to be capable of rapidly applying their skills to new equipment or processes, and be willing to regularly update these skills.
- Business and financial skills will be increasingly important, not least because of the cost of keeping digital equipment up-to-date. Individuals and businesses will need to account for more frequent capital expenditure costs in their business planning and allow for these in their charge-out rates.
- As digital technology, and use of the Internet in particular, makes it easier to find, use and share images, practitioners will increasingly need better understanding of intellectual property rights, knowledge of how to protect those rights and how to avoid abusing those of others.
- Businesses will need to work out how to meet the challenges posed by new technologies - for example, camera phones, the web, and wireless Internet connectivity - and exploit the opportunities they present. Flexibility, adaptability and being able to respond quickly will be key.
- Laboratories in particular will increasingly need to be adept at identifying and exploiting emerging niche markets, and will need to better promote their specialised services and knowledge.
- Photographers will need to take responsibility for learning the new technical skills - especially relating to digital workflow - that now form part of the basic requirement of functioning as a professional Photographer. They must recognise the need for a wider skill set and understanding of the overall digital image production process. Equally, practitioners across all sectors of the industry must be responsible for getting themselves up to speed.
- Universities and colleges will need to consider how best to position themselves to industry as a source of up-to-the-minute training.
- Unless the Photo Imaging industry can successfully raise the profile of its various sub-sectors and the career opportunities they offer, and unless universities and colleges can better prepare students for the realities of working in the sector, there will continue to be an over-supply of Photographers and disappointment amongst new entrants, who may then leave the industry instead of finding their niche within it. Building stronger links between industry and education will be crucial, but also mutually beneficial.
