Just realized I've generated over 10,000 AI images without a single real photo shoot this year

I was going through my folders last night and saw I hit 10,247 images from Midjourney and DALL-E since January. That number shocked me because I used to be a pretty serious photographer with a DSLR and everything. Now I barely touch my camera because I can just type what I want and get it in 30 seconds. It's wild how my whole creative workflow shifted from setting up lights and lenses to just describing scenes. The quality difference still bugs me sometimes though, especially with hands and weird textures. Has anyone else noticed themselves ditching real gear for AI tools without really planning to?

3 comments

3 Comments

zarab2411d ago

But don't you think getting exactly what you pictured instantly is way more satisfying than driving somewhere for hours and missing the shot?

drew69012d ago

Do you actually miss the process of photography or just the results? I've got an old camera collecting dust too, but I keep telling myself I'll get back to it for the physical feel of it. The hand thing drives me crazy in AI images though, it's like looking at uncanny valley every time.

paulschmidt12d ago

Totally agree with you on the hand thing, it's the biggest tell for me too. I picked up my old DSLR last week and the weight and the click of the shutter just felt so right, you know? The whole process of waiting for the right light, fiddling with the aperture, even the smell of the camera bag brings me back. I'd rather get one blurry shot that I took myself than a perfect one from an app. It's like the difference between cooking a meal and ordering takeout, both fill you up but one just feels better.