Having first learned film photography and processing my own film and printing my own prints I wholly embrace digital photography because it allows me to keep in the moment. Everyone seems to be forgetting how ungodly expensive film photography is compared to digital photography. Decades ago the film cost $0.25-$0.35 per frame and you were quite cognizant of that fact while shooting. Add in exposure bracketing and you were paying $1.25 per shot, and again that was decades ago. A roll of film having 24 frames basically represented 5 shots. You had to have several rolls of film and you were constantly managing that resource instead of keeping in the moment.
With digital photography I can bracket all I want. A lot of cameras can do that automatically. I don't have to worry about running out of film, nor do I have to worry about all the money I'm spending in procuring, processing, and printing that film. I don't have to change rolls of film either. That keeps me in the moment.
Just like in the old days I go back after the shoot and look at what I got and discard the rubbish. I do prefer dodging and burning by hand in the darkroom, but I've made my peace with Gimp over the years and I've learned how to use it to maximal effect - and I can do way more than was ever possible in the darkrooms of yore. It really is progress.
"He shot thousands upon thousands of rolls of film at 36 exposures a roll, meticulously numbering each roll before sending it off to be developed a process he had no interest in by magazines or photo agencies."
With digital photography I can bracket all I want. A lot of cameras can do that automatically. I don't have to worry about running out of film, nor do I have to worry about all the money I'm spending in procuring, processing, and printing that film. I don't have to change rolls of film either. That keeps me in the moment.
Just like in the old days I go back after the shoot and look at what I got and discard the rubbish. I do prefer dodging and burning by hand in the darkroom, but I've made my peace with Gimp over the years and I've learned how to use it to maximal effect - and I can do way more than was ever possible in the darkrooms of yore. It really is progress.