How Photography Has Changed

Making pictures in both an authentic and creative way is truly an impressive art. As a photographer I often feel that this amazing form of communication and self-expression is slowly being lost to the modern world that is completely saturated with visual content on a 24 hour basis.
There is absolutely no denying the fact that many incredible steps have been taken in the world of photography since its inception. I am extremely grateful that I can pursue my passion for making pictures without the need of a darkroom, bottles of chemicals, and regular purchases of film to fulfill my impulses. I have the ultimate luxury of making essentially as many photos as I want and within a couple minutes viewing them all on a screen in front of me. I can manipulate and edit to my heart's desire, and I know that Ctrl-Z will always be there for me if I screw up, rendering my original image undamaged. I have had only a minimal level of experience working with film, but still experienced enough problems to know that I should be thankful for the photographical modernities that exist in today's world.
But I also sometimes ask my self, what has been lost? Making photography easier and accessible to a wider audience has rendered it less of an art, and the handful of people out there who are truly passionate and gifted simply need to work that much harder to become known in the photographic world. There is also the problem with image overload, as websites and apps like Instagram and Flickr have made photos become things that nearly everyone interacts with on a daily basis. As more people start seeing images constantly, there is less appreciation for just how much time, thought, and passion went into making that photo.
So maybe next time we're all scrolling through our Instagram feeds, we should take a few moments to really look at each photo we're viewing. Why was the image taken in the first place, and what is it trying to communicate? What do you feel when you're looking at it? Photographs are amazing works of art that communicate myriad emotions, beliefs, cultures, and people from all corners of the globe. Just because there are more than ever before doesn't mean they should be any less valued.