Photographers Vs AI

Photography to me has always been about seeing - noticing the unknown. But know with AI stepping into the frame and only growing stronger in the creative industry, the connotations of ‘seeing’ feels different.

AI tools can generate images without a camera, enhance photos in seconds or even help create ideas. On one hand, it’s impressive - on the other hand it is very unsettling. And because of that, as a photography I have began to question and worry where my career stands in all of this.

Let’s take food photography into account. For people who shoot in restaurants, photoshoots are becoming less and less available due to AI image production of the companies product. Does it look fake? Sometimes. Will people still buy it? More than likely.

However, for me personally photography is never about the final images - it’s the creative process behind it. The waiting, the missed shots, the difficult lighting and the moments that only happen once. However, AI removes that process; the effort and efficiency is stripped just by a prompt and 5 seconds wait. The shortcut image for the blog is litterally AI generated!

At it’s core, photography will always remain human. Even in a world where one prompt can create anything the mind wishes. But where our careers land in the midst of it all is really up for interpretation.

I won’t disregard AI fully because there is times where it can benefit us. Brain fog, writers blog or even just a funny AI image generation of yours friends. But when our futures are in the hands of seeing if a robot can replace us, it starts to feel more real.

But rather than focusing on competing with AI, maybe we need to try and hold on and reclaim what makes photography OURS.