Are AI and photography making me a worse human?

As an ugly, geeky kid who boasted sticky-out buck teeth and a full moustache at the ripe old age of seven, I've always known that people are worth more than their appearances might suggest. "It's not what you look like, it's what you are", my mother used to tell me, and though my seven-year-old tormentors didn't seem to believe this, it's an adage I've carried with me throughout my life.

Until, that is, I became a photographer. Of course I don't think ugly people are less worth my while than beautiful people – in fact, the reverse can often be true, especially when 'pretty privilege' means the beautiful coast through life and don't develop their personalities as a result. But I can't deny that, as a snapper, I prefer working with photogenic clients - and that when I get a truly physically unattractive client, my heart sinks a little.

It is, unfortunately, much easier to take photos of attractive people. As my teenage daughter might say, "Well, duh!" but this is for many reasons, and not always the obvious.

Firstly, aesthetically pleasing clients tend not to panic about photo shoots, because they've constantly been told how hot they are. So they tend not to lament their appearance, frantically reapply their makeup, repeatedly check their reflection, ask for reassurance or constantly ask to see the photos on the camera screen. This saves a lot of time.

Secondly, they're more likely to know how to pose. Maybe it's self-assurance, maybe it's practice from taking endless selfies for Instagram, but they don't look as awkward in front of the lens as their less physically blessed counterparts.

Thirdly, they're far easier to take good photos of (of course), quicker to retouch, and more fun to edit. If you have to spend hours looking at someone, it might as well be someone worth looking at. Nature is cruel, and people with big eyes, clear skin and symmetrical features are always going to be more pleasurable to stare at as a photographer.

However, there doesn't seem to be any rule that says attractive people are easier to work with or won't request a million photo edits.

I had a terrible experience with a perfectly nice-looking client who demanded five rounds of pointless and vague edits such as "Make me look natural but also glam" and "Adjust my eyelids" (with no further directions). At this point, I put my foot down and refused to do any more work, rather than bellow, "What do you mean, woman, adjust your eyelids HOW?!" They then apologised for the numerous edit requests, and said, "I thought it was all included in the price". I'm not sure how to price up 'endless frustration'...

What about the effect of AI, and the effect on you?

But, aside from the shoots and retouching being easier with attractive clients, photography and AI photography apps seem to have had a detrimental effect on my brain.

These days, when I look at someone, I mentally work out how I'd retouch them – 'Oh, I'd use the healing brush on that mole', 'I'd make their nose smaller', 'I'd whiten their brown teeth', etc.

To be fair, I also do this to myself, focusing on the acne scars on my chin, wrinkles on my forehead, and the trilogy of moles on my left cheek.

So I do worry that being a photographer has made me focus more on people's beauty (or the lack of it), because my USP as a shooter is making people look better in portraits – and you can only do that if you work out how to fix what's 'wrong' with their appearance.

I have to keep reminding myself: "It's not what you look like, it's what you are."

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