Professional photographer Richmond Nwachukwu has experienced a 4% decline in his revenue as more people turn to artificial intelligence to generate images of themselves instead of booking traditional photo sessions. While the impact remains relatively small for now, the growing popularity of AI-generated portraits and birthday photos signals a potential shift that could significantly affect photographers as the technology continues to improve.
The trend of using AI to create professional portraits and celebratory images is gaining momentum, with people choosing to generate polished images through AI tools rather than paying approximately $103 (150,000 naira) for a traditional photo session. According to a recent survey conducted by Great Big Photography World among professional photographers, 44% expressed concern about AI's impact on their industry, while 33% feel optimistic about the technology's potential, and 22% remain indifferent to the changes.
Contrary to popular belief, artificial intelligence has been integrated into photography long before tools like Midjourney and Google's Gemini became mainstream. Modern smartphones and cameras have utilized various forms of AI for years through features such as night mode, portrait mode, and autofocus systems. Most users don't recognize these capabilities as AI because they operate seamlessly behind the scenes to enhance image quality.
Today's smartphones employ sophisticated computational photography techniques, capturing multiple images simultaneously and using machine learning algorithms to combine them into a single, detailed photograph. Companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung have all incorporated these methods into their camera systems, enabling phones to produce clear nighttime photos and properly expose faces even in challenging lighting conditions.
Professional camera equipment has also embraced AI technology. Many DSLR and mirrorless cameras now feature face and eye tracking powered by machine learning, which photographers rely on heavily when shooting moving subjects. Popular editing software like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop utilize AI for noise reduction, skin smoothing, and image sharpening, demonstrating that artificial intelligence has been assisting photographers for years.
However, the current generation of AI represents a fundamental shift from enhancement to replacement. Text-to-image models don't improve existing photographs – they create entirely new images from written descriptions without requiring cameras, studios, or photographers. This technology moves beyond assisting photography to potentially replacing certain aspects of the craft entirely, explaining why people now generate birthday portraits and professional headshots without taking a single photograph.
The popularity of AI-generated images on social media platforms indicates this has become a widespread trend. According to a report by Everypixel, approximately 34 million AI images are generated daily in 2024. Since OpenAI helped make generative AI mainstream in 2022, people have created more than 15 billion images using text-to-image models.
Adobe Firefly, integrated into Adobe Photoshop, stands as one of the most popular platforms for image generation, reaching one billion created images within its first three months of operation. OpenAI reports that users create about 2 million images per day with its generation model, though the company doesn't specify the exact timeframe for this statistic.
Based on social media trends in Nigeria, Google's Gemini appears to be the preferred tool for personal image generation. Esther Uduma's viral birthday pictures, created using Gemini, were so convincing that she began selling prompts to people seeking similar results. Her success sparked both admiration and debate about the role of AI in personal photography.
When Uduma shared her AI-generated birthday images, most viewers were amazed and wanted to learn her techniques. However, not everyone receives such positive reactions. X user HiDreams created AI images for her 25th birthday, generating 9.5 million views partly because she turned 25 on November 25, 2025. Unlike Uduma's praised prompting skills, HiDreams' post sparked controversy about whether AI erases authentic memories.
Critics raised concerns about the long-term implications of AI-generated personal photos. One commenter wrote: "When we get older, and our memory is not what it used to be, and we need photographs to help us look back at major milestones, I cannot imagine the mental dissonance of looking at a picture of yourself at fifty-plus and realizing it's not you – it's an AI version."
Professional photographer Carl Taylor addressed these concerns in his video titled "You think AI is about to kill photography? THINK AGAIN!" Taylor argued that AI cannot replace the human connections at photography's core. "In photography, we work with art directors, models, stylists, makeup artists, set builders," Taylor explained. "These people come together to create not just pictures, but a story."
Uduma accidentally became a professional AI prompter when she needed to submit a professional headshot at work while also paying for an important career course. Instead of paying for a photoshoot, she invested in the course and used Gemini to transform casual photos into professional headshots. "People still think that's my real picture, and till today I've never told anyone it is an AI-generated picture," she told Techpoint Africa.
After mastering the techniques needed for optimal results, Uduma began selling handbooks teaching others how to craft effective prompts. Launched at approximately $4.15 (6,000 naira), she has sold nearly forty copies. Despite profiting from AI-generated images, Uduma believes photographers remain irreplaceable: "It is like creating memories. You can't replace real pictures with AI-generated images; you can always tell."
For photographer Richmond Nwachukwu, who has practiced for three years and charges approximately $103 per session, AI was originally meant to enhance photography rather than create complete images. He estimates the "AI pandemic" has reduced his income by roughly 4% over a certain period, with clients choosing AI due to cost or time constraints.
Event photographer Oluluwa Balogun Taiwo remains confident that AI cannot replace his work. "AI can't shoot Olamide's concert, it can't shoot a live wedding," he says. While he also conducts birthday photoshoots, Taiwo believes AI results remain inferior to professional photography, arguing that clients seeking quality and originality will continue booking sessions.
Several areas of photography remain beyond AI's reach, including spontaneous moments at sporting events, street protests, and war-torn regions, which require timing, physical presence, and human instinct. However, some industry segments face significant pressure. Stock photography has become one of the biggest casualties, with Getty Images acknowledging that its Creative stock segment declined nearly 5% year-over-year in 2024.
Nigerian stock photographer Ayorinde Olajire reported a 40% drop in demand for his work due to AI, according to Business Day. Surveys by the Association of Photographers over three years show that the percentage of members losing work to generative AI reached 30% by September 2024, demonstrating the technology's measurable impact on certain photography sectors.
While photography will undoubtedly change as AI continues reshaping parts of the industry, the most essential aspects of the craft – those built on timing, emotion, and human trust – remain distinctly human for now. The debate continues over whether advancing AI technology will eventually bridge this gap or whether the human element will always distinguish professional photography from generated images.
