FOTOGRAFI, QUO VADIS?: MEWACANAKAN ARAH DAN TUJUAN PERKEMBANGAN FOTOGRAFI

During the Covid-19 pandemic and after the pandemic, what is the existence of photography? When photography became instantaneous with the advent of cell phone cameras and the term 'photographer' became ubiquitous in various art and non-art areas, the direction and purpose of photography was questioned.

Through a discussion themed "Photography: Quo Vadis?" initiated by Learn From Home (LFH) Virtual ClassOn Friday, May 29, 2020, the issue was discussed from various perspectives. The Dean of the Faculty of Recording Media Arts (FSMR), Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Yogyakarta as well as a lecturer in the Photography Department, Dr. Irwandi, M.Sn., who was the guest speaker at the LFH that night sparked the discussion by presenting an illustration of an increasingly broad map of photography with an ecosystem network ranging from the government, collectors, critics, and educational institutions.

Specifically in the academic area, Dr. Irwandi, M.Sn., stated that educational institutions are required to develop a clear and progressive concept to follow the development of the world of photography. As done by the Photography Study Program, FSMR, ISI Yogyakarta, by preparing students who will do internships with a variety of skills and insights, so that after returning from the internship, they always have a clear concept of what to do. awareness to the development of the world of photography, especially now that it is time to develop ourselves in the midst of media convergence. The curriculum can later be developed to follow the market industry, so that it is in line with the 'Merdeka Belajar' program being developed by the current government.

In other areas, such as commercial photography, some things also need to be understood and anticipated by photographers. According to senior photographer and lecturer at Nikon School and at the Photography Department of FSMR, ISI Yogyakarta, Johnny Hendarta, Hon. E.FPSI, photography will always run because photography is not only seen through one side. Indeed, the work of a photographer should follow the current regulations, but a young photographer should first hone experience in the field he will pursue in the future so that his 'photographer' insight is wide open. Currently, there is a lot that can be done from the field of photography because it is not only limited to the process of taking pictures but has now developed in such a way in the age of media convergence.

Photography today has a good bargaining value, depending on a photographer or entrepreneur in the field of photography who has branding and good economic principles in marketing his work. 'Photography: Quo Vadis?' is a discourse on where Indonesian photography will go in the future, whether it will be something that remains promising or just a hegemony. In the discussion, senior photographers tried to map out together the future direction of photography and its regeneration process.

This was also emphasized by Ferry Ardianto, another senior photographer who also pursues Commercial Photography. According to him, currently the camera is like a tool of imagination and unconsciously does not understand that a photo work is made with a process that is not simple. A photo work is not a determinant of whether a photographer is good or bad, but a work must be appreciated with appropriate visual literacy, such as by starting to cultivate appreciation and criticism as well as curatorial in the scope of photography education.

Photography in the future will be more developed as long as photography is not just seen as photography itself. Assistant Dean I of FSMR, Pamungkas Wahyu Setiyanto, M.Sn., said that photography should be made into a behavior, so that photography will develop further. It should also be understood that photography can be in every human life, because it can be 'liquid' into any field. Currently, institutions engaged in the field of photography have an important role, because the institution will become a standard reference and become a laboratory for the development of photography so that photography is not just technical shooting but its aesthetic and scientific abilities are also clearer. Photographers can play an active role in participating in photography competency certification which includes Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude to uphold the standardization of their expertise.

Another interesting point expressed by a senior lecturer at the Photography Department, Dr. Edial Rusli, S.E., M.Sn., is that the categorization and differences in genres will actually make the map of Indonesian photography development more colorful. Mr. Ed, as he is often called, gave an example with photography Fine Art which in turn can keep up with the Journalistic Photography market.

In the discussion, many argued that the development of photography is predominantly born from photography education institutions. Therefore, regulations related to the world of photography should also be issued by these photography education institutions. Thus, it is not the certification bodies or associations that make policies because educational institutions are assumed to know the market needs better and how to educate prospective photographers well. (Red)