The Journal

Issue date: 5/5/05 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Graphic Design By Ryan Rumberger/ The Journal

Jack Rinehart, a Webster University photography professor, discovered his love of photography at age 8, taking pictures on family vacations. At 11, he made his own dark room in a closet in his basement. He would develop his black-and-white prints, like photos of model rockets, in the bathroom. He grew up in the era of film.

As the times change, however, so does the technology.

Webster students are living in a digital world of cell phones, Ipods, Palm Pilots and MP3 players. In their courses, students are learning the importance of both film and digital photography and which is best for their desired profession.

Rinehart, who teaches studio photography, lighting, digital and advanced digital studio at Webster, has been teaching at Webster for 16 years. Although he grew up using film, he was quick to fall for digital photography.

"I have not exposed a frame of film for over five years," Rinehart said of his 24-year professional career. "This digital world, it's a beautiful thing."

Rinehart, who started off working at a wedding studio, said he felt no creative connection with his co-workers.

"I was not able to communicate with any other people who were creative," Rinehart said. "No one could speak the language."

Rinehart left wedding photography and opened his own advertising studio, Photo Source, which produces photos for billboards, and consumer and corporate photos.

"I remember needing to borrow from my personal savings the money to get that camera," Rinehart said of his digital Kodak DCS 315, which is now considered at the low-end in terms of fast-growing technology. "The beauty of that image coming up so quickly was mind-boggling."

While he uses mainly digital photography in his studio, Rinehart, who is also president of the St. Louis chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers, remains a fan of film.

"Film is an amazing, beautiful thing that happens over a period of time," Rinehart said. "Whereas digital is instant verification process."

Rinehart also said digital photography's high cost makes taking advantage of the technology difficult.

"Everything associated with digital requires upgrades, updates and a fat checkbook," Rinehart said. "That thing called technology does change. It really, truly, is expensive."

Webster photography professor Dan Dreyfus also has his own studio, Dreyfus and Associates Photography. Dreyfus, who teaches studio photography and a class in people and portraiture, received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Webster, 1975 and 1977, respectively.

Continued...

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