It’s a big question and several threads on Reddit and a great piece on PetaPixel by Jeremy Gray (https://bit.ly/4bhUPUF) suggest that Adobe is about to throw photographers under the bus. This Adobe ad copy, which Clayton Cubitt ran on X, is one of the examples inflaming pro photographers.
However, Adobe is not the only company that has stirred fear in the creative community. Apple recently produced an ad that shows a hydraulic press crushing all the creative tools artists and consumers have used over the years—from a piano and record player to piles of paint, books, cameras, and more. See: https://bit.ly/3WHXW3J
“The most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest,” a narrator says at the end of the commercial. The ad intended to show all the great things that the new iPad can do and that you don’t have to do anymore. Marketing executives have called it tone-deaf, and several experts noted that the campaign’s execution didn’t land well. Apple has since pulled it.
Creative Evolution
These ads, despite their tone-deaf construction, point to a new era in photography and photographic postproduction. We must recognize that AI is not just a clone stamp or a selection tool; it’s a powerful disruptor of all things visual. This technology can open paths for innovative and creative productivity. However, it also poses a significant threat—the potential to sever the human connection that drives the visual arts—a connection that is integral to the soul of photography and all the arts.
If we take a step back for a moment, we know that photographic technology has been evolving since its inception, and we no longer use flash powder and glass plates. As a teacher of photography and fine art development, I have had a front-row seat to the impact of tech on image creation for students and professionals alike.
Perhaps you have noticed that schools have rebranded the practice of photography as ‘content creation.’ This approach equips students with a comprehensive understanding of the creative tools found in the Adobe Suite—Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere, and many others. At the vocational, workshop, and academic levels, we are cautiously embracing AI as a creative tool, with the understanding that this technology is still emerging.
The Human Connection
Throughout the decades of photographic change, one thing has remained constant in photography and the visual arts—the human connection. This connection has allowed us to capture the real, the surreal, infusing our art with depth and emotion. It’s this human touch that makes our work unique and irreplaceable.
However, as these ads suggest, there is a growing concern that the human connection may no longer be the driving force of photography and many of the arts. It’s crucial to acknowledge these concerns and urgently find a balance between embracing technological advancements and fiercely preserving our artistic heritage, for it is this delicate balance of human connection and technology that will safeguard the future of art.
Conclusion
As we navigate this era of rapid technological advancement, the question, “Do we need photographers?” becomes even more critical. The answer is unequivocally yes. We need photographers and all artists who will not relinquish the essence of their craft to the allure of AI’s instant gratification. This image of the ‘Northern Lights Over Tetons’ was created in Adobe Firefly 3.0. It’s good but not great. While AI can be a powerful tool, it is the human connection—the ability to infuse depth, emotion, and soul into visual art—that remains irreplaceable.
Comments Welcome!
Bob Killen is the Curriculum Director for National Park Photography Expeditions and Senior Instructor for the NPPE Art Photography Mentor Program.
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Photography, of course, has many facets.
While I can see how commercial and industrial shooters are dead men walking, it seems to me wedding and event photographers won’t soon be replaced by AI (or – “generate a photo of Grandpa Jimmy in his Sunday best holding the new baby on his lap” – maybe that’ll work).
As for photojournalism – well, we already see deep fake output making more and more people very wary about trusting what is shown, but how there can be a trusted source of bona fides is beyond me (that is, I would not trust Facebook telling me “‘oh yes, this photo of Trump throwing babies into a wood chipper is totally real!”)
In the world off entertainment – we have seen Tyler Perry noting the writing is on the wall when he pulled back from his plans to invest $800 million in his Atlanta studio. I foresee a time where movies and TV shows will be created without a single human in front of or behind a camera – and perhaps that will lead to a resurgence in live theater.
As for “fine art” photography, well, if one considers the craft of photography to be knowing the methods by which to achieve the image in the creator’s “mind’s eye” then the only thing that changes is the ned to know how to describe that image to ChatGPT or whatever rather than understanding the exposure triangle and all.