AI ‘Street Photography’ Isn’t Photography: What We Lose by Simulating Experience
a day ago
- AI-generated images are not photography because photography requires capturing real photons of light, recording an actual moment that existed.
- The collapse of meaning occurs when we pretend AI simulation equals real experience, sacrificing authentic engagement with the world.
- Street photography involves genuine human connection, courage to face discomfort, and being present in real moments—something no algorithm can replace.
- The term 'synthography' has been proposed for AI image generation, but it has not gained traction because people prefer comfortable illusions over precise truths.
- Choosing synthetic experiences over real ones undermines our fundamental human capacity for authentic engagement and embodied experience.
- Preserving the distinction between photography and AI generation is important even if it makes us uncomfortable, because that discomfort is part of the value.