THE PRESENCE OF SIZZLE

I well remember the stir when looking at the new guitar amplifier. It had a control called 'presence'. How strange. We all knew volume, bass and treble but 'presence' what did that do. Well it makes everything seem more...'there' someone said.
How are photographs made to be more there. Just as sausages get cooked in something
most photographs nowadays get cooked in photoshop, But dont think its all the re-touching etc that the only ingredient. Along with a few other factors modernity being one, its an essential tool to give photographs 'presence'.
Eg You may hear photogs boast in what they didnt do to their pictures. If using PS they exclaim about minimal skin touching tiny curves adjustments and slight crops. And yes there was a time when this was cool, pure and all that stuff. But as time goes on it looks strangely old and dated. Unless one understands the difference between fame and modernity.
Not understanding certainly is a block to progress. As a result many photogs pursue and produce fashion picture that mirror the greats but the greats of the 80/90s maybe earlier.
Theres a problem here. Mostly their photography is old fashioned, great but dated. GBD
Of course there was a time when they were the latest thing but not now not the latest but greatest. Helmut Newton died recently So who is going to take his place? No-one,because the industry doesnt want another one Helmut was great but it was really his fame that kept him going. Now that hes not here all the clones who could 'do'a good Helmut picture will become tribute photographers like all those bands we hear about.
Avedons gone, Bob Richardson irreplaceable???
Is it necessary Who are the replacements for
Chris von Wangenheim, Bill King, David Seidner???
And anyway we already have the new HN, Terry Richardson. And before theres an outcry Richardson is the modern equvalent of HN for a whole load of kids who dont know or care what 30s German decadence is,will never get to see the riches of Monaco and for whom more smuttiness is the order of the day. And if you think carefully about it Richardson and HN have many similarities.
It shows that modernity is part of the presence of sizzle.
People like the idea or association of digital point and shoot Photoshop etc etc. kids in the colleges gloss over when their tutor talks about unsharp masking,dye transfers and all the other things that 'real' photographers love. After a long lecture a friend of mine said in class a student simple stated couldnt I do all that in photoshop and if so why bother with all the other stuff.
Its the modern approach Ask Mert and Marcus the modern day equivalents of Demarchelier and Lindbergh. But their pictures look sort of digi someone says, exactly
digi modern, worked over, cooked, tossed in PS.
Seasoned with modernity, cooked in the Modern style
Get sausage but dont forget sizzle