AI-Powered Editing?

AI is appearing everywhere these days. Love it or hate it, you can't escape it and it's even getting into the photography industry. It is possible to have a robot edit a gallery, which is mind-blowing, but I'm a private editor and I'm not worried about losing my job.

I'll just get it out of the way now, I'm an AI skeptic. I think we are rushing into this way too fast and not thinking ahead far enough. But I do have to say that the AI masking in Lightroom is amazing! It makes things a lot easier when it comes to isolated editing. That's not what I want to talk about though.

So if AI can edit a gallery and it looks as good as if the photographer did it, won't that make private editors obsolete? I don't think so. I understand the initial panic, but if we back up, we can see that at other times in history, there have been similar fears that didn't pan out.

When e-books and e-readers were getting popular, people predicted the end of printed books. When digital cameras and phone cameras came out, I'm sure photographers were concerned that no one would need professional portraits since everyone was able to take photos now. But there are some things that can't be replaced.

There are still people who love to hold a book in their hands. People with their phone cameras can't replicate the years of experience and training that a professional has. And I think human editors have something valuable too - they are human. Let me explain.

While we humans love expediency and time-saving, we also crave connection. Private editors form relationships with their clients and that is something that cannot be replaced. I think that many, if not most, photographers won't want to give that up. I don't know this for sure, but I'm guessing that robot editing will cost money still. Maybe it will be cheaper, but it probably won't be a choice between free robot editing and paying a human. 

What AI editing might do is enable photographers to get some help earlier on in their business journey. If it does indeed end up being cheaper to do AI editing, then a newer photographer who can't afford a private editor yet can still get help with their workflow. That's a good thing! But you know what? Most people eventually move on from free or cheap solutions to the "real deal".

I'm sure there will be some photographers who choose AI editing and that's okay. Just like it's okay that there are some people who aren't drawn to my style of photography. Having options is good for people and for business, even though it may seem counter-intuitive.

So, if you're a private editor, don't freak out and give up quite yet. I don't think your value or demand is going anywhere. What are your thoughts on AI editing or AI in general?





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