AI and the Changing Face of Photography

Have no doubt, artificial intelligence is already changing the face of photography. Photographs have always involved interpretation and manipulation, but what feels different now is the increasing sophistication and everyday use of AI tools, particularly within commercial and advertising contexts. At the same time, I have many photographer friends who are, quite rightly, using AI-based tools to help lighten their editing workload and make post-production more efficient.

So where does that leave me and my own creative work? As many of you will know, I have always been open to embracing editing technology, especially when working on my more abstract and expressive pieces. That said, I am very clear about one thing: I remain the one calling the shots. Every part of the work I make begins with my camera and with time spent out in the landscape. While there is manipulation involved in the process, nothing is generated by artificial means.

I have seen genuinely interesting and creative work made using AI, and I understand its appeal. For now, however, it is not something I wish to incorporate into my practice. My work is closely tied to presence: to standing in a place, observing light and weather, and responding intuitively in the moment. That sense of connection, and the slow accumulation of personal decisions, is where the soul of the work lives for me.

At the same time, I remain open to evolving my practice through hand-made processes, including drawing and collage. These feel very different to me. They are tactile, considered, and deeply personal, and they extend the same way of seeing and responding that begins in the landscape. For me, the distinction matters. The work still comes from my hands, my eye, and my lived experience, and that is something I value deeply.