What I use AI for. And what I don’t.

I use artificial intelligence. Daily.

Erotic photography with AI — the topic is everywhere. I just use it differently. Without it, I’d still be stuck on my first paragraph, wondering whether “and” or “but” is less annoying. AI builds me a rough frame; I keep chiseling at the phrasing until it fits. My blog posts and many product descriptions are made with AI’s help, not by AI.

And with images it helps tidy up: in Photoshop the power socket doesn’t disappear automatically. If it serves the picture or I like it, it stays. I don’t shoot on location just to retouch everything until it looks like a studio shot later.

Sometimes this, sometimes that — whatever serves the picture. Retouching is housework, and the machine simply works faster than I do. I also use a very good tool for skin: better results, finished quicker — without rebuilding anyone.

But: no synthetic skin, no “give me different legs,” no fully regenerated image. For photos I go outside, not into a prompt window. Meanwhile I’m always tinkering with design: what reads clearer, what looks better, what feels better for the user? If something bugs you, send me a note: hello@martin-wieland-arts.com

I photograph people. That’s the deal.

There’s trust, light, air — and that split second when someone forgets how they look. That’s where I want to be. AI can do a lot: spot patterns, smooth skin, stroke highlights. What it can’t do: show the fraction of a second when a look tips — from posing to truth.

Sleek erotica popping up everywhere? Keep it.

Polished bodies, endless variations, available like gum at the station. It works. It gets clicks. You forget it tomorrow. AI can stack beauty. It can’t stack closeness.

“You use AI too!” — sure.

It’s like salt: a pinch is good; too much ruins the soup. I want the untidiness a day brings. The crooked laugh, the light that comes too early, the small hesitation at the hip. For that you need people, not silicone logic.

And yes, AI is practical — here’s a small example:

Left is the original, right the AI-extended version. I only had a landscape shot but needed a portrait for the layout. AI reconstructed the upper area — no new scene, no different model, just more space. I wanted to see how well it works when you don’t overdo it. Conclusion: helpful for format adjustments. For everything else, I’d rather stay with the camera.

Granted, this is a fairly extreme case. Normally it’s about adding a few centimeters when the aspect ratio doesn’t match 100%. There AI is many times faster than manual Photoshop retouching. I could write a separate post on AI, Photoshop, and nude photography…

I like pictures that are alive.

Ones that don’t ask, “Am I beautiful?” but, “Are you here?” When I retouch, I leave room to breathe. No porcelain, no doll. Shadows may hint at something. A net can add structure without promising order. That’s the fun.

AI also saves me time with tasks that aren’t photography: refining text, catching typos, cleaning background junk. But it doesn’t do my work. I press the shutter. I take responsibility. I sign my name — hand-signed, numbered, limited. If something’s off, that was me. If it lands, that was me too.

Will AI destroy erotic photography?

No. It will only reveal who’s been on autopilot all along. People making pictures that look like pictures that look like pictures. The future will be full of perfect simulation. Lovely. Have fun with that. I’ll stick with the unrepeatable. With things you can touch: paper, frame, mat. With a moment that won’t be reprinted. 199 times — and that’s it. Not because I couldn’t, but because otherwise it’s worth nothing.

But the machine is faster!

Of course. The machine is always faster. Only: closeness has no shortcut. You can’t render sweat. You can’t prompt trust. You can’t generate a story between two people who are relying on each other in that moment. You have to live it. And hold it. And show it.

I don’t want smooth art for smooth walls. I want images that still hum after you turn off the light. Pictures that don’t have to please everyone. Pictures that pull you along, even if you resist.

AI is a screwdriver. I’m the one who builds the box (metaphorically — in real life I’m no handyman). And sometimes a scratch remains. It reminds you it’s real.

If you’re asking where the line is: AI helps me get faster to where it becomes human. And that’s where it stops. The rest happens in front of the camera. With skin. With breath. With time.

I don’t need more. I don’t want more. The rest is decor.

Discover more:

On AI & photography:

Magnum Photos: A Message on A.I.

Get news first:
Newsletter.