These days technology is everywhere. It’s used for scheduling appointments, ordering lunch, booking flights, and keeping in touch with loved ones. It’s hard to imagine life without the convenience and ease of technology. But are these modern advances threatening human careers? Will human photographers ever become obsolete?
The Natural Process of Technological Progress
We’ve all probably seen the new machines rolling out to replace cashiers in fast food restaurants. The customer no longer has to place an order face to face. Instead, you stand in line waiting for an available computer touch screen to type in exactly what you want. It’s an incredibly handy tool. You don’t have to repeat your request to hold the lettuce on your number 4 value meal. But, could this method carry over into other avenues just as easily? Will human photographers ever be replaced with computers? Of course, I personally hope that’s not the case, but there’s no telling what will happen 20 years down the road.
I’ve read a lot about article intelligence lately, and there are already services such as ‘Style-Shoot’ that promise crew and photographer-less shoots. If being a photographer is just being a camera operator, then our days may certainly be numbered. However, I think photography is much more in-depth than the initial clicks to get photos. Sure, the camera is the tool we use to capture the photo- but to produce the final product we spend time after the fact editing, retouching, and perfecting the image to fit our own style and make it something our clients will love.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of technology- but when there’s a creative process at work behind the scenes, I don’t think it can be mimicked by a machine. Photography encompasses more than just operating a camera. It’s an art, and I think Henry David Thoreau said it best: “it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see”.
