New photography: Humans & machines, pt 3

A trilogy on the future of image-making. Part 3: The human touch remains crucial

Photography is at a turning point. As a photographer, I experience how rapidly our craft is changing. Not just through new cameras or lenses, but through a fundamental shift in how we create images and what they mean. In this three-part series, I share my observations about this fascinating development, starting with the new reality we find ourselves in. This is the third (and last) part:

The human touch remains crucial

In the previous parts, we explored how new technology and AI are changing photography. Today, we return to what remains constant: the human touch. Because precisely as technology grows more powerful, the human aspect becomes increasingly valuable.

This became clear to me recently during a photoshoot for a personal project. The camera was perfectly set up, AI was ready to assist (in post), but the real difference was made by something no technology can match: the connection with my subject.

It reminded me of old family photos I recently found. Technically far from perfect -…