Hi Miriam!( @mnavurskis )
This is an interesting topic of conversation, and I do agree with you—it’s gotten so so so easy to “fake” an image these days (the generative AI tools scare me haha). We live in a culture that has pretty much poisoned itself with convenience, and AI images are no exception. To encourage you though… I think Lydia’s got the right idea. The “easier” it is to generate images automatically and digitally, the more people will value the handcrafted and analog. I think this is partially why film photography and vinyl records are growing in popularity (and why it also might be a good idea to begin printing your photos).
One way to I look at is through relationships: think about the last time you visited a mom-and-pop local restaurant in your community. Was it the most amazing food you’ve ever eaten? Was it the most exciting? Probably not. But I’ll bet you still thoroughly enjoyed yourself and I hope you left a nice tip for the server. Same thing goes for live music. Could you listen to more amazing or “better” music for about $8 a month on Spotify? Yup. But if you’re like me you’d rather spend $40 to go hear someone who’s maybe not as amazing do it live for 2 hours. You value the experience because you value the people providing the experience. As you build relationships through your photography, people will value your images—because they value you.
When it comes to retouching images… photography is an art form and a tool for expressive communication. If you feel like it’s “cheating” to airbrush a photo, then don’t do it. You are the artist. I’ve heard of some photographers who intentionally leave powerlines and other “imperfections” in their work and creatively include them in their compositions, and their work shows a genuineness and a rawness that AI doesn’t replicate well. It will grow you significantly as a photographer if you make it a point to get it right in camera every time, and you’ll begin to develop a unique style over time with where and when and how much you decide to break into your Photoshop tools.
I use Photoshop quite a bit more sparingly than I did in the beginning (it takes a lot of time!), though I do use Lightroom moderately to develop my images. I view it as part of the creative process and I try to capture or create feelings through my work rather than strictly document what was there. If I’m painting a picture, no one is looking over my shoulder and saying that I should have used a lighter shade of blue to more accurately replicate the sky. I’m creating something new.
Hope this helps!
—Logan