I have always cherished photographing my children, not for the sake of social media or any digital platform, but as a means of capturing precious memories. After finally upgrading to a smartphone with an exceptional camera last year, my desire to capture these moments in their full glory has only intensified. There’s something satisfying about capturing the sheer delight on my son’s face as he proudly shows off his lollipop, having won the musical chairs game. Or when my toddler daughter unintentionally strikes a pose reminiscent of a Mini Boden catalog. Those are the moments I swiftly photograph before she catches me and playfully yells “cheeeeeessse.”
That’s why when I stumbled upon Google’s new Pixel 8 Pro features, I couldn’t help but feel that they might not be tailored for someone like me. Their “magic editor” that enhances images using artificial intelligence and the “best take” feature that seamlessly swaps heads in photos seemed to be stripping away the authenticity of these captured moments. As a lover of the challenge of capturing a perfect shot, I relish the surprise element that comes with photographing my children. Each snapshot reveals subtle aspects of their personalities that I may have overlooked otherwise.
The power lies in these unedited photos, where I capture the serene calm on my daughter’s face as her older brother lovingly holds her hand and imparts wisdom in a boisterous manner. It’s the image of mischief that unfolds as I catch her pilfering an older child’s towel. Scrolling through these unfiltered snapshots helps me understand my children on a deeper level, showing me the bond they share and the wonder they find in the world.
In his essay “Little History of Photography,” Walter Benjamin muses on the irresistible allure of early portrait photographs. He describes an intangible “aura” emanating from these pictures, provoking an insatiable curiosity about the subjects’ identities and stories. Benjamin attributes this allure to the innocence and spontaneity captured in these early portraits, unlike the posed and retouched photographs that followed.
This parallel is strikingly evident in the evolution of smartphone cameras today. While they grant us the power to document our children’s lives more comprehensively than ever before, we must question the purpose behind such innovations. Instead of leveraging technology to capture fleeting moments and explore the true essence of our loved ones, we find ourselves using it to seamlessly Photoshop family portraits, conforming to a machine’s notion of aesthetic appeal. It seems that we have inadvertently reduced the rich tapestry of life to a never-ending Instagram reel.
While I don’t dispute the existence or potential benefits of such technological advancements, I do feel compelled to ponder their ultimate purpose. As we marvel at these feats that were once considered magical, we must reassess whether they truly serve our desire for genuine, heartfelt connections. I sincerely hope that the spirits I strive to capture in my photographs will forever remain untamed, refusing to surrender to a world where authenticity takes a backseat.
Are Edited Photos Robbing Us of Authentic Moments? .
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