The Photographer’s Dilemma in the Age of Generative AI

Recently, I bought a planner on Amazon titled Hong Kong Vistas Calendar 2025. The cover featured stunning urban landscapes—vivid compositions that sparked ideas for future photo shoots in Hong Kong. But as I studied the images more closely, something felt off. Iconic elements from different parts of the city were stitched together in ways that defied geography. Some scenes were physically impossible. Others included details that didn’t even belong to Hong Kong.

These weren’t photographs. They were photo-realistic images—most likely generated by AI.

Does Effort Still Matter?

As a consumer, I’ll admit: a beautiful image is a beautiful image. But as a photographer, that thought stings. I know the time, money, and patience it takes to capture a compelling urban landscape. If AI can generate convincing visuals in seconds, does that make my effort obsolete?

I don’t shoot as extensively as some photographers, but I do my homework. I research locations, scout scenes, and wait for the right light. When photographing snow, I endure hours in the cold to get the shot. For natural landscape photographers, the commitment is even greater—days or weeks of travel, hiking with heavy gear, camping overnight to catch a sunrise. Is all that effort still worth it?

When AI Mimics Reality

If someone can prompt AI to generate a realistic image of a location—and viewers can’t tell the difference—does it matter how the image was made? Worse yet, the photos I share online, complete with metadata and tags, could be used to train AI models. My work might help machines generate even more convincing imitations.

Still, I find joy in the process. I love discovering new locations, returning to them, experimenting with compositions, and working within the constraints of the physical world. Those limits fuel my creativity.

What AI Can’t Reproduce

Interestingly, those same constraints are blind spots for generative AI. It can’t truly “know” a place it’s never been. It can’t feel the cold, wait for the light, or adjust to unpredictable weather. AI might generate a plausible depiction, but verifying its authenticity is difficult. Maybe that’s where real photography still holds power—because it’s reproducible. If an image can’t be recreated in real life, maybe it’s not a photograph at all.

Then again, maybe some viewers don’t care. Maybe their emotional connection to the artwork matters more than its origin.