As this 'discussion' has reached the stage that it is no longer clear as to
who is beating whom over the head with what I have kept out of it. But
this is such an unsupported generalisation that it becomes worthy of
comment.
The appeal of alternative photography or alternative processes is, in my
experience, to people who wish to control how their images look rather
leaving it to K, F, A or I or other manufacturers who are more interested
in industrial efficiency and the bottom line. This wish for 'control'
predates Photoshop by well over a century. Similar needs gave rise to the
art movements in photography when George Eastman made it all so easy.
Photoshop is a good tool that widens our capabilities. That some will
misuse it is inevitable. But the number of people wanting to get their
hands on in alternative photography is indicative of the need many
photographers have to maintain the craft element in their art. That
organisations such as Hand Made Photography and Hands-On Pictures exist
serves to underline the need of photographers to maintain their skills.
Terry King