The Importance of Photography in an AI-Driven World

Laying in the grass, my elbows in the dirt, I brushed the hair out of my eyes and readjusted my focus. My camera was aimed at the flowers about a foot from my lens, and I wanted to get the photo before the breeze moved the flower again. I pressed the shutter, and checked the screen. Satisfied with the results, I sat back and reexamined how the light was hitting the flowers.

Most of the time, my brain is a scattered mess of random thoughts. Work frustrations, what to make for dinner, reminding myself to pick up prescriptions, people I need to text or email, questioning that conversation I had a few days ago and still can't set aside, all bounce around in my brain like hyper preschoolers after too much sugar. But with a camera in my hand, everything clears, and my focus zeroes in on what is immediately in front of me. I am fully in the present, and for someone who has experienced both depression and anxiety, having something that keeps me in the here and now is a lifesaver.

Photography is an important art for many reasons, not the least of which is its ability to capture a moment in time. I've heard people say that they don't need a photo, because they will remember the moment just fine without it. But memories fade over time. You might remember the feeling of a moment, but not how the light fell on the wall. You might remember your dad's smile, but not how it light up his eyes. You might remember the sound of your mother's laugh, but not the little wrinkles that formed around her eyes when something really tickled her. You might remember the first house you lived in, but not the color of the flowers by the front porch. Photography helps you capture these details, so that years later you can still remember them.

But not only does photography help you remember the details of the past, it also helps you take note of the details in the present. In my photography moment above, I noticed the tiny stamens in the middle of the flowers, and how the light made these delicate while blossoms look luminescent. I noticed details that I completely miss when I am thinking about the details of daily life.

That light!

In the age of AI, algorithms, and social media, I am increasingly feeling drawn to the real things of life. Feeling the breeze on my skin, noticing the light filtering through the branches, and watching an iris go from bud to full bloom. These are the things that make up the tangible world, and they cannot be taken away by technology. The more advanced we get, the more important it feels to hold on to the things that technology cannot replace.

Little white flowers from the flowering bush on the side of my neighbor's yard.

I don't want my life to be about conversations I have with a computer. I want it to be spent lying in the dirt, focusing all my attention on the beauty of the natural world. I am okay with missing out on the latest technological invention. I definitely don't want to miss out on noticing the first flowers of spring.