A while back, I attended a talk hosted by Harlowe lighting and discussing photojournalism today. The dialogue between the three accomplished veteran photographers and a younger photojournalist around my section of the Millennial identity was quite fascinating to watch. As she accused the others of privilege and being busy introducing people to cultures like a colonial explorer, I couldn’t help but realize how much bad vernacular was pervasive amongst all of the photographers there. And in 2026, I’m renewing the file on my idea that we should all stop saying that we’re “shooting photos.”
Let’s be clear here: the idea of shooting comes from the idea of shooting a bow and arrow or a gun. It’s why in today’s vernacular, someone might say, “I’m going to shoot my shot.” It’s a reference to Cupid shooting his bow and arrow to make someone fall in love. Ultimately, it’s a violent act.
When photography first became more of a documentary process, folks went around the world documenting and introducing the world to others. This is back in an era where people didn’t fly or travel much. On top of that, the way information got around was far different. People couldn’t just hop onto Google or into their favorite magazine/YouTube channel and find authentic imagery.
And so often, these photographers talked about cultures in a very colonial way that was all about benefiting their homeland, and not being mutualistic.
Photographers would go on a hunt — but they’d be hunting using their camera. Said photographers would peer into the viewfinder the way that a hunter uses a scope to frame the scene and make an image.
And this, ultimately, is where we need to change things in order to make photography a holistically better place for all of us lest AI come to replace every single one of you reading this.
We’re not going out on a hunt to shoot photos. We’re going out on a journey and adventure of some sort to make images. In a similar fashion to how a charcoal artist sets up an easel to be in place and sketch a scene, photographers go out with their cameras to make an impression of some sort, digitally or on film. And hopefully, they’re adding a creative interpretation beyond just making the sharpest images that they can.
When you bring someone into the studio, you’re not shooting them. You’re collaborating with the hero of your photographs to make something unique.
When I am paid to do photography at an event, I’m not shooting the event. I’m working with people, asking for permission, interacting with them, and ultimately being a human being instead of a passive voyeur.
We, as photographers, need to change and become even more human lest AI replace us. And it starts holistically with how we speak about our art form. It will then fundamentally go on to change how you are as a photographer and how you treat your subjects. This, in turn, affects how you make images.
Consider this, please.