So, a beautiful 2026 is ahead of us…… now what?
insane optimism
I think the first big idea is, moving forward, I’m insanely optimistic about 2026.
Erickimworkshops.com –> I just added to the calendar:
🔥 PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — JUNE 26 / 27 / 28
🔥 HONG KONG — JULY 25 / 26
🔥 TOKYO — AUGUST 8 / 9
And even insane… I just use ChatGPT Pro, the $200 a month version to create a sizzle reel to promote the workshops, and it looks insanely good.
The future of AI
So, the first very optimistic thought I have is AI for photographers, the big idea I have is AI is not a replacement, but essentially your photography on steroids.
I’ll give you another example… Let us say that your mother-in-law tasks you with digging up a big hole to get rid of roots of a big tree in the backyard… But she just gives you a tiny kids shovel. Or you have the option of having a real stainless steel shovel. Or better yet, one of those mini caterpillar excavators. Which would you choose?
So, the analogy is like AI. The big idea is with AI, you can simply do things a lot easier and more efficiently.
Or let us say that, I want you to go from LA to Phnom Penh Cambodia, … and, I want you to rule a boat. Would you rather take the $450 one-way airline, with some noise canceling Bose headphones, or paddle yourself?
And also as a note just keep updated… I’m planning a Zoom online AI photography workshop February this year.
AI over equipment
So there’s a very very interesting thought from Marc Andreesen, who says that software is eating the world. I think he meant now to say that AI is eating the world.
It is kind of hilarious, we are willing to sell out $8000 USD on some sort of overpriced Leica Q Camera, which I just consider a panasonic lumix with a body kit, … just get the Lumix S9 instead … yet, we had the idea of paying $200 a month to like create 100 of yous?
Assuming that you use ChatGPT pro a lot, it’s only like paying seven bucks a day to like augment yourself 1000 X?
ideas
So some photography AI ideas:
- Use AI to cull your images. So you could already use ChatGPT, and select your best images, I made one called photo picker . Just do a screenshot of your contact sheet, and ask ChatGPT which one it likes the most and why. Essentially it’s like an AI version of arsbeta.com –> see an example here.
- Use AI to check the composition of your photos. About a year ago, I already made composition checker, … try it out.
- Use AI to brainstorm photo expeditions and also, photo shooting list for yourself for creative assignment ideas
- Use Grok premium, add an image, one of your street photography portfolio images and ask AI to animated. Very interesting.
- Even something I haven’t seen yet, take some of Henri Cartier bressons iconic photos and have AI animated? Or any classic images?
AI is the edge
Everyone wants an unfair advantage. But, AI is actually very very ethical and fair.