The medium format photographs created in conjunction with my senior thesis exhibit, Everyday Decay, use texture, line, intimate framing, warm color palettes, and layering to explore an aspect of the everyday landscape that we interact with often but generally ignore. The choice of medium and subject of decay creates a sense of the past, aided by the warm tones that imply affinity and nostalgia.

With the advent of digital imaging technology, the options available to consumers in consumer imaging have increased tremendously. From image capture through image processing and output, many options have emerged; however, the relative environmental impacts of these different options are not clear cut. Simplistically, one might say that the use of a digital camera has a lesser environmental burden than the use of a reloadable film camera because the image produced as a result of using the digital camera avoids chemicals in film developing. However, digital cameras require electronics and computers that need energy; and, energy production is one of the contributors to greenhouse gasses like CO2. Assessment of the environmental impacts of these different options can help provide feedback to decision makers and insights that will help reduce environmental impact through product system design. One tool that has been used to relate environmental impacts with functions provide to consumers through products or services is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA, which has been standardized by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in ISO14000, is used here to evaluate both traditional film and digital imaging systems. Data from publicly available databases and both external and internal Eastman Kodak Company studies were utilized to develop LCA modules for the different processes involved. Product and service business models are explored for both technologies through ten different imaging and output scenarios. The functional unit used is the capture, processing and output of one 4 x6 image. Four impact categories (energy use, greenhouse emission, water use and waste generation) across four life cycle phases (upstream, distribution, use, and end of life) are explored for the ten scenarios. LCA is also evaluated as a tool to help facilitate strategic level environmental performance issues with both new and established business activities. Sensitivity analysis is also performed to evaluate the impact of assumptions made in the course of the assessment and comments are made regarding the effectiveness of LCA for strategic assessment and product service strategies in lowering environmental impact. Results indicate that the lowest impact scenarios are Digital Capture to LCD Display for Greenhouse Emissions and Energy Use and Film Capture to Wholesale Print for Water Use and Waste Generation. Highest impacts were seen for Greenhouse Emissions in the Film Capture to Retail Print scenario. In the Energy Use and Water Use category, the Digital Capture to CRT Computer Display was the highest scenario. For Waste Generation, the Digital Capture to Inkjet Print was the highest impact scenario.

The history of photography represents a constant technological development of the medium towards increasing sophistication, which is related to spreading possibilities of complex control upon semantic meaning of each camera image. The thesis comparatively analyses expressive possibilities of film and digital photography with emphasis on the relations of both medium with other audiovisual means of communication. The thesis compares technological possibilities of both medium and focuses on growing integration of digital methods of imaging with new media through computer graphics. The thesis focuses on transforming role of photography in the society which is connected with democratization of access to cameras and the possibility of sharing resulting images via internet and social media. Based on described data the author points out the changing role of the creator and the viewer in the process of interpretation of visual images.

This study examines the culture and values surrounding the analogue camera and the analogue photography today. The aim is to answer the questions of how the field of analogue photography look like? Why it still exist? And what the role of analogue photography in a digital context is? Through qualitive interviews with six persons who practices analogue photography the study examines their field, and reasons for choosing it over digital. Based on theories by Pierre Bourdieu the analysis shows the fields positions of power, and identifies the capitals that are valued and why they are valued. The interviewees describes the benefits of the analogue in relation to digital photography as more valuable and more esthetic. They say that the randomness and imperfections of the analogue has artistic and esthetic qualities and advantages. The study connects this with analogue nostalgia, and Hartmut Rosas theory of resonance. With a theoretical framework based on Zygmunt Bauman and Christopher Lasch the study analyzes analogue photography in a digital context. The study finds that analogue photography is nostalgic in the sense that it is practiced in relation to the digital, and in some cases as a way to escape and oppose digital society. Further the study suggests that when the interviewees uses analogue photography to oppose the digital in favor of the wellbeing of oneself, it could on the other hand be a practice in conformity with modern society despite the interviewees efforts to oppose it.