From Daguerreotype to AI: Technological Advances that Challenged Visual Art

The creative industries have always been deeply intertwined with technological advancements, continually reshaping how these fields operate. Photography is no exception. In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, tensions are rising between creators of technology and traditional artists, as each group navigates the implications of new innovations. However, a historical perspective reveals that similar disruptions have occurred before, prompting varied reactions and ultimately transforming the industry. Let’s explore how past inventions changed the visual art world and the diverse responses they provoked:

Historical Perspective: Industry Reactions to Technological Changes

The Birth of Photography

Before the advent of photography, portrait painting was the primary means of capturing a person’s likeness. Skilled artists were commissioned to create detailed portraits, a time-consuming and expensive process accessible mainly to the wealthy.

The invention of the daguerreotype in 1839 by Louis Daguerre marked the birth of photography. The reactions among artists and the broader community were varied and often polarized. Some painters, like Paul Delaroche, famous for his paintings of historical figures like Queen Elizabeth I, reportedly declared, “From today, painting is dead!” Charles Baudelaire, a French poet and art critic, vehemently opposed photography, calling it “art’s most mortal enemy” and criticizing it as a medium for the “self-congratulatory, materialist bourgeois class.” A German newspaper even went as far as to label photography a sacrilege, arguing that capturing a human image was against divine principles.

However, this reaction was not universal. Many individuals were fascinated by the new technology. For instance, an 1840 Australian newspaper described the daguerreotype as a marvel akin to a fairy tale. John Ruskin, a prominent art critic, initially praised daguerreotypes as “glorious things” and “the most marvellous invention of the century,” likening their effect to a magician’s trick. Edgar Allan Poe also hailed it as “the most important and perhaps the most extraordinary triumph of modern science.”

Despite the initial resistance, some artists saw the potential of photography and integrated it into their work. Many portrait painters, particularly those who were not part of the elite art circles, quickly adopted the daguerreotype as a more efficient means of creating portraits. This shift allowed them to produce and sell more images with less effort, significantly broadening their market.

As photography became more accessible in the mid-19th century, some artists began incorporating it into their practice. For example, Eugène Delacroix, Alphonse Mucha, Gustave Courbet used photographs as reference material for their paintings.

The true impact of photography on art became evident with the rise of the Impressionists in the 1870s and 1880s. This generation of artists grew up with photography and witnessed rapid advancements. Moreover, photography was one of many new 19th century technologies that prompted advances in the science of optics, and the Impressionists were by and large immersed in this new world. Instead of competing with photography to capture objective reality, Impressionists embraced the opportunity to explore the subjective nature of art. They leveraged new understandings of color, experimenting with placing pure colors side by side to create blended effects in the viewer’s mind. This approach became a hallmark of their style, emphasizing personal perception over universal representation. By the 19th century, photography had become more widely accepted as an art form in its own right.

The Advent of Color Photography

The foundation for color photography was laid in 1861 when James Clerk Maxwell demonstrated the first color photograph of a tartan ribbon. Maxwell used a three-color method, taking three separate black-and-white photographs through red, green, and blue filters, then projecting them together to create a color image.

A major breakthrough came in 1936 when Kodak released Kodachrome, a color reversal film that became extremely popular among commercial photographers.

Many traditional photographers and photojournalists initially rejected color, viewing it as ostentatious and lacking authenticity. They believed it hindered photography’s recognition as a serious art form. However, some pioneering photographers embraced color early on. Ernst Haas, for example, began experimenting with color in the late 1940s and helped set the foundation for future color photographers. In the 1970s, a new wave of photographers like William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, and Joel Meyerowitz began pushing the boundaries of color photography as an art form. By the 1980s, the dominance of black-and-white photography had waned, and color photography became widely accepted in both commercial and artistic spheres.

The Rise of Digital Photography

The transition from film to digital photography in the late 20th century sparked another wave of reactions within the industry. When digital cameras first appeared in the 1990s, many professional photographers were skeptical. Concerns included:

• Image quality: Early digital cameras couldn’t match the resolution and dynamic range of film.
• Authenticity: There were fears that easy digital manipulation would undermine photography’s credibility.
• Craft: Some felt that digital photography removed the skill and artistry involved in traditional darkroom techniques.

Photographers, especially those deeply invested in film and darkroom techniques, resisted the digital shift. They argued that digital lacked the “soul” or tactile quality of film photography. Many also worried about the democratization of photography. As digital cameras became more accessible, there were fears that they would devalue professional work. Others eagerly embraced the new technology, seeing it as a way to expand creative possibilities and streamline workflows.

The transition from film to digital did not happen immediately but quickly enough. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, many photographers used both film and digital, depending on the project. By the mid-2000s, digital cameras had improved significantly and began to dominate the market. The widespread adoption was evident as digital camera sales soared from 4 million units in 2000 to over 121 million in 2010.

The Impact of Smartphone Photography

The rise of mobile photography in the late 2000s, particularly with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, further democratized image-making. And again, while it has allowed more people to explore photography as an art form, it has also led to concerns about the devaluation of professional work. However, some photographers, like Chase Jarvis, have enthusiastically embraced smartphone photography. Jarvis famously coined the phrase “The best camera is the one that’s with you,” highlighting the accessibility and spontaneity that smartphones offer.

Platforms like Instagram, launched in 2010, capitalized on the smartphone photography trend, becoming the primary medium for sharing photos. This shift encouraged a new wave of amateur photographers and content creators, altering the landscape of visual content creation and consumption. Global shipments of digital cameras dropped from 121 million units in 2010 to around 19 million units in 2018, highlighting the significant impact of smartphone photography on the market.

Now it is evident that many professional photographers have adapted by incorporating smartphone photography into their workflows. There’s a consensus that the quality of the photo and the photographer’s skill are more important than the gear used. Many professionals are impressed when someone can produce excellent photos with a smartphone. “If someone does something on a phone that is better than what I do on a fancy camera, that impresses the hell out of me,” remarked one user on reddit. However, some photographers feel that the widespread use of smartphones diminishes the perceived value of professional services, as many people consider smartphone photos “good enough.” One user voiced this concern: “Photographers hate phones because it diminishes their value in the eye of the public.” Overall, the photography community’s reaction to smartphone photography is mixed but largely positive, with many professionals embracing the technology as a valuable tool while acknowledging its limitations for certain professional applications.

The Influence of Photo Editing Software

The introduction of image editing software like Adobe Photoshop in 1990 revolutionized post-processing capabilities. Many traditional photographers were skeptical about the authenticity of digitally manipulated images. One notable perspective was that photo editing software would erode the skill and effort required to capture perfect shots in-camera. Traditionalists believed that relying on software to “fix” images in post-production diminished the value of photographic craftsmanship. However, early adopters of Photoshop quickly realized the potential of the software to elevate their work. They saw it as a valuable tool that complemented traditional photography skills rather than replacing them. This positive outlook contributed to the growing acceptance of photo editing software within the professional community.

Over time, photo editing software itself has democratized significantly. While using Photoshop initially required a certain level of technical skill and expertise, the emergence of simpler analogs began to offer accessible alternatives that didn’t demand extensive training. The advent of mobile applications like Instagram and VSCO further simplified the editing process, allowing users to apply filters and make adjustments with just a few taps, without needing any specialized skills. These apps brought editing tools to smartphones, making it easier for anyone to enhance their photos, further broadening the accessibility of photo editing.

Despite initial controversies, digital editing became an integral part of modern photography workflows. The global photo editing software market size was valued at USD 345.2 million in 2023 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032. And one of the reasons for its growth lies in the next part.

The Emergence of AI

Today, the line between photography and digital art continues to blur, with AI-generated images presenting the latest challenge to traditional notions of photography. The integration of AI into the photography industry began gaining traction in the late 2010s. AI technologies started being used to enhance various aspects of photography, from smartphone cameras to the generation of entirely new images.

One of the first notable integrations of algorithms into photography was the development of High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, where multiple photos at different exposures are combined algorithmically to produce an image with a greater dynamic range of luminosity than what is possible with standard digital imaging techniques. Another early example was the use of algorithms for noise reduction, where advanced computational methods were applied to reduce the graininess in photos taken in low-light conditions. In addition, facial recognition technology started being incorporated into cameras and photo management software, allowing for automatic tagging and sorting of images based on the detected faces.

In 2016, the release of the app Prisma marked a significant moment in the integration of AI with photography. Prisma used neural network technology to transform photos into artwork styled after famous artists. The app quickly became popular, demonstrating the potential of AI to enable new forms of creative expression.

Then companies like Adobe introduced AI-driven features in their software, such as Adobe Sensei, which could intelligently edit photos by adjusting lighting, removing objects, and more.

The initial reaction to AI in photography was mixed. Enthusiasts saw AI as a revolutionary tool that could streamline workflows and democratize creative processes. They appreciated AI’s potential to assist in mundane tasks, such as sorting and tagging images, and to offer new creative possibilities. However, many professional photographers expressed concerns over the implications of AI-generated images on their livelihoods and the authenticity of art.

As AI technologies became more prevalent, the legal landscape surrounding AI-generated content became a major point of discussion. One of the earliest and most notable legal battles occurred in 2022, when the company Stability AI, alongside Midjourney and DeviantArt, faced a class-action lawsuit from visual artists. The artists claimed that the companies’ AI models had been trained on their copyrighted works without permission, leading to unauthorized use and potential infringement. The photography industry has seen then a series of landmark cases related to AI infringement: name but a few Getty Images v. Stability AI, Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence. The debate around the ethical and legal aspects of AI in creative industries, especially in photography, continues.

To conclude, it is worth mentioning that the advent of photography, from the daguerreotype to digital and smartphone cameras, has significantly transformed the art world but hasn’t extinguished the value of traditional painting. While the demand for realistic portraits has diminished, artists have embraced new opportunities, exploring diverse styles and mediums. The rise of photography has broadened artistic expression rather than replacing painting. Today, artists continue to thrive, finding success through galleries, commissions, and digital platforms. Photography and traditional art coexist, each enriching the creative landscape and offering unique perspectives.

However, while previous technological advancements reshaped the art world, they were ultimately embraced by creators as new tools to enhance their work. Artists adapted, often finding innovative ways to incorporate these technologies into their practice, even if some initially resisted. Nevertheless, the rise of AI presents a more profound challenge to the profession. Unlike previous innovations, which primarily enhanced the speed, accessibility, or quality of creative tools, AI poses fundamental questions about the nature of creativity, authorship, and copyright. AI continues to evolve, it forces a re-examination of the boundaries of artistic creation and the legal frameworks that govern it, posing a significant challenge for artists and the industry as a whole.