Did you not watch the series finale to the Sopranos? ;-)

Many people consider Alois Riegl responsible for starting what is now considered the discipline of Art History. He began by identifying three main stages of representation that are generally present in all works in all time periods..

1st stage – depiction of objects
2nd stage – depiction of transitory nature
3rd stage – depiction of structures of relations

The 3rd stage is associated with all of the highest periods of art like Classical Greece and the Renaissance. Expression in art is based on the ability to metaphorically represent structures of relations (like balance, harmony, repetition, movement etc)

The reason for bringing this up is that you’re correct that digital has made photography more “prolific.” However, the majority of photographs being produced are just simple depictions of objects (persons, places, things) or depictions of transitory nature (events, gestures, appearances). It’s fair to say that almost NONE of the digital images being produced today by the modern generation of digital “photographers” ever express the structures of relations that are necessary for the 3rd and highest stages of art.

Also, the modern generation impresses me as a prideful bunch. They’re pretty full of themselves when describing how technology has made it easy for them to do what “old guys” struggled to do. But that’s simply not true. Technology has only made it easier for them to enter the 1st and 2nd stages of representation. The 3rd stage is out of their reach (and probably will always be) unless they learn to humble themselves and admit that technology gives them no advantage whatsoever when it comes to expression in high art.