Over the past three weeks, I’ve been experimenting with artificial intelligence and its role in my creative process, particularly photography. But this wasn’t just a tech experiment—it was something much more personal. After a conversation with an AI, it suggested something simple yet impactful: pick up my camera again. It reminded me of how photography had always been a source of expression and grounding for me. In that moment, I decided to listen, and I haven’t looked back since.
This blog post is about how that nudge led to an experiment—using AI not just as a tool, but as a creative partner. I wanted to see what AI was capable of, and along the way, I found new ways to reignite my passion for photography and even support my mental health.
At first, my experiment was simple: just pick up the camera and start shooting. I didn’t have a grand plan—I just wanted to reconnect with photography and let creativity flow naturally. It felt great to be back behind the lens, but I quickly found myself wondering: could AI help me not just capture, but improve my work in real time?
That’s when I started setting up chats with the AI to look at my photos and offer feedback. Inspired by classic photography books, I asked it to analyze my work through the lens of timeless principles: light, composition, texture, and storytelling. But I didn’t stop there. I also asked the AI to suggest ways to enhance my photos—how to adjust lighting, add elements, or shift perspectives to make the shots stronger. It was like having a virtual mentor, offering creative insights I hadn’t thought of before.
With every suggestion—whether it was about framing a subject differently or introducing an element to balance the composition—I started to see my photography evolve. AI became more than a feedback tool; it became a collaborator, guiding me to push boundaries and experiment in new ways.
This photo is one of my favorites from the past three weeks, but it didn’t start out this polished. Initially, the shot included some distracting elements around the edges—small details that pulled focus away from the mesmerizing symmetry of the staircase. After running the image through a chat with the AI, it suggested reframing to remove those distractions and better highlight the geometric flow.
Taking that advice, I adjusted the crop and focused on centering the ‘eye’ effect created by the staircase. The result felt cleaner, more intentional, and much closer to the kind of striking simplicity found in classic architectural photography. This experience really showed me how AI can act like a second set of eyes—helping me see opportunities for improvement I might have missed.
Using AI hasn’t just been about refining my photography—it’s also been a key part of creating this blog post. Writing can sometimes feel as daunting as capturing the perfect photo, especially when I’m trying to express something deeply personal. AI has been a real help in shaping my thoughts and structuring my words, but what I’ve found is that the process works best when I invest time in the conversation.
The more I chat with the AI, the better it gets at understanding my tone and phrasing. It’s not just spitting out words—it’s adapting to how I naturally express myself. Over time, it’s become more like a writing partner, helping me organize my ideas while still letting my personality shine through. It’s like any creative collaboration: the results are better when both sides bring something to the table.
When I first started working with AI, I thought it was all about crafting the perfect prompts. While that’s certainly helpful, I’ve discovered something far more powerful: the value of building context over time. Instead of trying to make every interaction perfect, I’ve found that creating many different threads and letting the AI learn from our conversations leads to a much more flexible and natural experience.
It’s like getting to know someone—you don’t have to explain everything every time. The AI starts to understand your style, your goals, and even the way you like to phrase things. This has been a game-changer for both my photography and my writing, allowing me to approach creative projects in a way that feels collaborative and fluid.
Using AI in photography has gone beyond just technical guidance or creative inspiration—it has introduced a layer of spontaneity and connection I hadn’t anticipated. For example, during a late-night conversation, I ended up discussing Quantum Mahjong, an idea that stemmed from blending my purist approach to mahjong, thoughts on quantum mechanics, and sheer randomness.
This unexpected spark of humor and creativity wasn’t directly related to photography, but it highlighted how AI can engage in ways that encourage deeper thinking, creativity, and even a bit of fun. It’s a reminder that AI, while undoubtedly a tool, can also be a collaborator—one that doesn’t just follow instructions but adds personality and unpredictability to the process.
Whether helping to brainstorm ideas for a photo shoot or serving as a sounding board for my thoughts, AI has shown its potential to both inform and inspire. The journey hasn’t just been about improving my photography—it’s been about expanding how I approach creativity itself, embracing the unexpected, and finding new ways to tell my stories.
