By ANDY00, 1726133871
Now, I know many don’t like the term AI—droll droll—but that’s the term the mainstream has adopted, and it’s the one we’ve got to use. AI is already having a profound impact on the world, and in photography, that’s a mix of both good and bad. Models have been in decline for years, and nobody can really dispute that. Back in the heyday of tabloids and football stars, models were everywhere, millions of them. Every girl wanted to be a model. Now, they can do it all themselves with just a mobile phone, and get paid for it too, without needing an agency or even a photographer.
But it’s not just models feeling the shift—AI is creeping into photography, and it’s changing things fast. AI tech in cameras and phones helps with everything from auto-correcting light, focus, and exposure to editing out flaws. Photographers are also diving into AI-generated images. One photographer, Emanuele Boffa, is even blending AI with his real-world work. When asked why he doesn’t label his AI-generated images, Boffa responded, “James Cameron or Christopher Nolan and many other directors are continuously generating images with the help of computer graphics or AI. And I don’t think people care much. Artificial intelligence, when used correctly, generates exactly what’s in the mind of the author.” some of Emmanuelle Boffa images below
While some see AI as an exciting tool for photographers, others are nervous. Is photography losing its authenticity? Will AI replace real artists? The debate gets boring, but one thing’s clear—AI is changing the game, and the industry might never be the same. Models, photographers, and even the viewers need to adjust because what’s coming is a mix of creativity and tech that could redefine what we think of as art.
Even now, many of the images we see online and think, "Wow, that’s awesome," turn out to be completely fake. Well, fake to us—because, of course, it's still a real image, but created by a program. Could you tell the difference? And remember, this software is still in its infancy. Think back to how slow and clunky the internet was when it first started—dial-up modems, waiting 10 minutes just to download a single image. Now look where we are.
Now imagine this technology in 10 years. You can’t. None of us can—it’s a total mind-bender. This is going to change the face of movies and images forever. Netflix has already offered millions to anyone who can create an interface for generating full-length AI movies on demand. Can you picture that? Just telling your TV the kind of film you want to see and it makes it for you, on the spot. What if it could even add you and your family members into a horror movie for added realism? It’s not that far off.
Think of those "living" Harry Potter portraits, moving and interacting. That kind of technology? Again, not far away.
The point I’m making here is that with mainstream media and public platforms fully embracing AI, can photographers really afford not to? If we don’t adapt, will traditional photography disappear into the ether, becoming just a quaint way we used to do things? I mean, I see people on social media making a fortune, and they don’t even use a photographer—they’ve got tiny drones that follow them automatically, like a puppy dog. But this dog hunts, snapping pictures from impossible angles and locations.
How do we compete with that if we don’t even acknowledge that AI is a thing?
Edited by ANDY00