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First of all, I want to address the elephant in the room.
Generative AI does directly threaten photography but the impact wont be quite as big as you might think.
AI has already revolutionized some photography technology, but is it worth the negative impact it could have on the medium itself?
But heres the thing, artificial intelligence cant generate a real photograph.
You need a light-gathering gadget to expose a photosensitive surface to create a photograph.
And the vast majority of photography is about capturing a moment in time.
AI noise-reduction tools like Adobe Lightroom’s Denoise (pictured) have revolutionized low-light photography
Until AI robots start walking around with cameras, traditional photography will prevail in some sense.
How else are you going to document a wedding or newsworthy event?
How is AI affecting photography for the better?
Wedding photographers are already expected to go above and beyond – AI imagery is only going to fuel unrealistic expectations.
AI-powered technology is being used to enhance both cameras and image-editing software.
Thebest photo editorsoftware has embraced artificial intelligence, too.
WhileAdobehas somewhat controversially embraced generative-AI tools powered by its proprietary Adobe Sensei AI.
And thats before you consider enhanced image organization thanks to facial recognition and automatic geotagging.
Maybe thats about to change…
Why do I think AI has changed photography for the worse?
The old adage: the camera never lies has seemed obsolete for decades.
And within the midst of a misinformation crisis, thats not good news.
This has already proven problematic, thanks to the rise of social media.
Wedding photographers are particularly vulnerable, with elite weddings and staged shoots helping to set expectations sky high.
AI-image generation will also cheapen photography, even further.
Smartphones jam-packed with computational photography have allowed anyone to take a half-decent photograph.
This has allowed businesses and individuals to question why theyre paying a professional photographer or videographer.
And that leads me to the final reason why I think AI has changed photography for the worse.
Weve all seen AI adverts populating the web that dial the uncanny valley up to 100.
As it stands, this imagery cannot hold a candle to what a skillful human can muster.
Part of the problem is that AI cannot cultivate a unique style.
Think Henri Cartier-Bresson, Annie Leibovitz, and beyond photography, Andy Warhol, and Stanley Kubrick.
These are all creatives defined by their unique styles.
But its the human element thats the key.
The photography industry so far has gotten that bit right.
I just hope everyone else shares the same sentiment.
