This is me. I don't even really class myself as a photographer. The camera just comes along for the ride. To create memories? That's part of it. Document my life? Not really. Fun? Absolutely. I don't get people in the slightest, when they say say they'd give up taking photos because AI can do it better. WTF? I still ride motorcycles even though ABS exists, traction control exists, anti wheelie and anti stoppie exist, I ride because it's bloody good fun. Same with taking pictures.
Yesterday, I jumped on the mountain bike with my much loved ultrawide setup, cranked out 30kms out in the fresh air, got a workout, got the adrenaline flowing, and shot a few frames. You really think sitting in front of your computer screen and pressing a few buttons gives the same pleasure and enjoyment? Really? You need to take a good long look at yourself if it does
But some of those people sitting in front of a computer pressing a few buttons could very well do that for a living. The advertising/film industry is already using/looking at it in a completely different fashion these days.
Earning a living out of it is a very different thing from wandering about the place with camera in hand, just for fun. And then talking sh!t on an interwebz forum. Not even in the same universe.
Here, have another picture from my wanderings. This was taken during lockdown, when all the good little obedient servants were sitting at home locked up, because their masters said so. Yeah, you could sit at home and press a couple of buttons on your keyboard, which may have even resulted in something technically superior, or gone out and done your own thing. I know which I find more enjoyable, by far.
Why would I quit when it's something different? Just because there's nascar doesn't mean people stopped riding bikes or regular cars. I hope to be part of a "last of a dying breed" who still uses this sorta tech. Call it outdated, whatever. I don't do it for approval, I do it for the joy I get in it and the joy it could give others who enjoy it as well.
I mean, the divide of photographers who use and don't use widens every day. If you want a more solid thing, there's a robot in japan that wanders around a museum taking pictures for visitors of their visit. Welcome to the future of where it's all heading. Them dirty stinkin robots coming for photographers too.
I doubt it will ever take over photography but it could play a much larger part than it does now.
AI image creation cannot document events for example.
AI image creation will play a larger part in creating digital art. For me it could help by creating starter elements for a collage or something similar.
If AI technology continues to develop at the same or faster rate than it is now then in 100 years from now, if the planet had not been obliterated by then, then who knows what will be possible.
100 years ago many things we take for granted today would have been thought to be impossible.