It’s 2024. Who’d be a photographer these days?
Sometimes I wonder if photographers are a bit like the Dodo, or dinosaurs, or those phones we used to have with the curly wire and a circular numbers thingy that took forever to actually dial in the number you wanted. Other days you could liken us to those baby turtles you might see scurrying towards the sea once they’ve hatched in the sand, trying to do their best but at the mercy of the environment and elements, hoping for the best. In a world where everyone can be a photographer, camera phones that take excellent photos are standard, Instagram rules the roost, we add literally millions of images to an already oversaturated internet every day, stock photos are cheap and plentiful, and AI is snapping at our behinds, trying to earn a living and achieve cut through can feel a little bit like juggling multiple plates while balancing on shaky ground.
But do I think it’s still worth it? Absolutely…
Have you tried to take a photograph recently that’s a bit different to everyone elses? Hard, isn’t it? If you’re on holiday, the chances are Instagram is full of other images similar to yours in that exact location (beach, graffiti wall, park…) And they probably won’t be mediocre images either, as the people taking them will have had a smartphone with a deadly camera built in, or even a good DSLR or mirrorless camera. And you’ll know similar images exist elsewhere because you probably have access to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, snapchat…the list goes on. Suddenly that holiday picture you thought was cool and creative doesn’t look so special anymore! Or perhaps you went to look at those images first for inspiration to create your own version of a particular shot because it was part of a trend or had a popular aesthetic you wanted a slice of? Either way, the sheer volume of photographs out in the world today makes taking photographs like shelling peas and has lead to mass homogenisation. At least 95 million photos and videos are posted on Instagram each day - yes you read that right!
Cute pet photos - a staple of the internet as we know it. This is definitely a trend I’m fully on board with!
Model: Kevin
Shot for A Northern Heart Photography
Photography has been a life-long love for me, having had film cameras as a child, then moving onto digital in the noughties. But now more than ever I feel I’m fighting against an army of opposition; user-generated content, temporary throwaway content, a huge new wave of photographers joining the hustle - and lets not forget automation and AI - which is in its infancy right now and could take us to other worlds eventually!
At times, it’s a fight that seems a bit futile, and lately I’ve been mulling over if it’s worth persevering with, even when business is good. And do you know what? It really is. Here’s why.
When I pick a camera up, my mind quietens. I’m able to focus, and I feel at peace. I love the way it makes me constantly look at light and the shifting seasons, and notice patterns in nature and architecture. It is a deeply personal thing to me, and one that keeps my mental health is decent shape (a bit like running does for other people, I’m told)!
As well as mindful benefits and self-expression, I love that capturing a moment in my life - or someone elses - can be a really meaningful thing. While images may rule the internet, the images I take personally, whether for myself or for a customer - are a genuine one-off, a memory captured, a feeling banked. I have said before many times how much I love old photographs - well new photographs can be the new old photographs - as long as you love them, use them and print them!
When I’m away travelling and on holiday, the images I capture document my interpretation of a place, an environment, a feeling. And when I’m shooting a business client, we capture a joint vision of them and what they do. My experience is filtered into all of this.
My worries about the future of photography diminish further when I think of the images I create within a week serving as every day moments, little reminders, personal anecdotes, or images taken for or of somebody that they love, find value in, use or treasure in years to come. Originality is important, yes - but emotional resonance, my personal take and using it as a tool to appreciate the beauty of everyday life is just as important (to me at least).
In that respect, I feel lucky to have found photography in my early years as it has carried me through some dark times. And while the photography industry may be oversaturated with digital images, the personal significance and communicative power of photography go on, making it worth continuing for me, and I hope, for the people I serve. AI will change the game I suspect, and I imagine the algorithms might favour it at some point, and there's not much that can be done about that. But to keep producing images with heart and soul, I plan to keep on doing what I do for as long as I can.
