French photographer warns AI threatens photography

French photographer Jean-Louis Courtinat has warned that artificial intelligence poses a serious threat to photography, particularly for journalists and documentary photographers, ERR reported. His retrospective exhibition, titled It Concerns Us All, opened on September 15 at the Juhan Kuus Documentary Photography Centre in Tallinn.

Courtinat said photographers are gradually losing control over what happens to their images. A photograph can be taken in one context but later used in another, while copyright issues are becoming increasingly complicated because anyone can alter and use an image.

“Yes, as I mentioned, artificial intelligence poses a very serious threat to photography,” Courtinat said. “I am not too worried about my own photographs because I focus on social photography, but for journalists and documentary photographers it is certainly a major threat.”

Courtinat said his work is driven by a desire to do something meaningful and help other people. He had considered becoming a social worker before choosing photography as another way to support others.

He said he does not begin by immediately taking photographs of the people he wants to portray. Instead, he first gets to know them, tries to understand their daily lives and difficulties, and only begins photographing after they have accepted and trusted him.

“I want to show people’s concerns and social problems,” he said. “Only after they have accepted me and trust me do I start taking photographs, so I can tell their story.”

For Courtinat, a good photograph must evoke emotions and convey the experiences of the people it depicts.

He said photography has changed considerably during his 40-year career. When he began working, photographers had to be selective because they could take only a limited number of pictures. Digital technology now makes it possible to take many photographs at once.

Nearly 80 photographs from Courtinat’s career are on display in Tallinn. He said the exhibition presents the work he has produced throughout his career and the values he has sought to convey through it.

“The most important thing for me is still the relationship with the people I photograph,” Courtinat said. “I do everything I can to convey that human side in my pictures.”