In an age where a single click generates hyper-realistic images, traditional photography is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. Why are more and more artists returning to analog cameras and manual processing, and why is film sales growing at a rate not seen in decades?
July 2026. The "Analog Forever" exhibition is underway at the MoMA in New York, and queues of eager visitors stretch around the corner of the building. On the walls hang photographs taken exclusively on film – imperfect, grainy, but authentic. At the same time, on Instagram, the hashtag #RealPhotographyChallenge is gathering millions of posts, and stock photo services are introducing special labels for "non-AI" content. What is happening?
It turns out that in an era when artificial intelligence can generate a photorealistic image in seconds, traditional photography has become an act of rebellion. It is not just about nostalgia – it is a conscious decision by artists who reject the "cheapness" of AI images in favor of a process that requires time, skill, and patience.
Numbers don't lie: the analog renaissance
Data from the last two years is unequivocal. According to a Fujifilm report from April 2026, sales of photographic film grew by 35% between 2023 and 2025, and in 2026, the company launched the new Neopan 100 II monochrome film – the first product of its kind in a decade. Kodak is observing similar trends, having refreshed its iconic Gold 200 series in February 2026, selling half a million rolls in three months.
The market for used analog equipment is also booming. According to KEH Camera, sales of cameras like the Leica M6 or Nikon FM2 increased by 42% in 2025 compared to 2023. Prices have skyrocketed – a used Leica M6, which cost 8,000–10,000 PLN in 2023, now reaches as much as 15,000 PLN. This is proof that traditional photography is no longer just the domain of sentimental collectors, but is becoming a conscious choice for young artists.
Interestingly, even in digital photography, we are seeing a return to roots. The Fujifilm GFX 100 II, a medium-format camera premiered in 2025, is marketed as a "bridge between tradition and modernity." Manufacturers emphasize the "manual" character of their products, as if they want to distance themselves from the algorithms that have dominated the market.
Why are photographers rejecting AI?
Arguments for traditional photography are diverse, but a few key themes recur most often:
- Authenticity: A photograph, whether analog or digital but taken by a human, documents a real moment. AI generates images based on data, not experiences.
- Creative process: Photography is not just the final result, but the entire process – from choosing the gear and framing to processing. AI eliminates this part, reducing creation to a few clicks.
- Uniqueness: Every negative is one-of-a-kind. Even a digital photo has its own "history" – traces of editing, imperfections that testify to manual work.
- Ethics: In the era of deepfakes and manipulation, traditional photography becomes synonymous with credibility. This is especially important in photojournalism and documentary work.
Annie Leibovitz, in an interview with The Guardian in November 2025, summarized it briefly: "Photography is not just an image, but a process: choosing the frame, the light, the emotion. AI generates pixels, not experience." Sebastião Salgado, who in 2026 is working on a new project shot entirely on black-and-white film, expresses similar views.
These voices are not going unheard. In March 2026, over 1,500 photographers signed the "Photography vs. AI" declaration, calling for the labeling of AI-generated content and its exclusion from photography competitions. Signatories include Steve McCurry, Platon, and Paolo Pellegrin – winner of the World Press Photo 2026, whose winning photo was taken with a Leica M10 Monochrom camera.
AI in photography: tool or threat?
Not everyone, however, sees artificial intelligence as an enemy. Some artists are experimenting with combining traditional techniques and AI, looking for new forms of expression. An example is Boris Eldagsen's "Analog Diffusion" project, in which underexposed analog frames are "finished" by Stable Diffusion algorithms. Eldagsen calls this "collaboration with the machine," emphasizing that the foundation – the physical negative – remains authentic.
Another example is the startup lumenai, which in March 2026 introduced a tool for the digital processing of analog negatives using AI. It allows for noise reduction or color correction without losing the "manual" character of the photo. Reactions are divided, however – some photographers consider it cheating, others a modern tool that facilitates work.
Commercial applications of AI also spark controversy. The Nike "Human Motion" campaign from January 2026 used photos of athletes taken with a Hasselblad H6D camera, but the backgrounds and some elements were generated by Midjourney. The company emphasizes that "key elements are real," but for many photographers, this is a dangerous blurring of boundaries.
The greatest concerns, however, relate to the impact of AI on the job market. According to a 2025 Adobe Stock report, the number of AI-generated images increased by 210%, but their average price fell by 30%. This is a real threat to professional photographers who cannot compete with the mass production of cheap images.
Legal and ethical dilemmas
In 2026, the issue of distinguishing between photography and AI images has become a pressing legal problem. The European Union has introduced the AI Act, which mandates the labeling of AI-generated content in media and advertising. Similar regulations apply in California, where since January 2026, disclosure of AI usage in commercial photography is required.
Stock photo services are also reacting to this trend. Adobe Stock has labeled all AI images with an "AI-generated" tag since June 2025, and Shutterstock has introduced an algorithm to detect generated content. Nevertheless, in 2026, as much as 30% of assets on Shutterstock are AI images, and their average price is 40% lower than traditional photos.
Are these actions enough? Doubts are justified. In a Pew Research Center survey from January 2026, 68% of Americans believe that traditional photography is "more authentic" than AI images, but among those aged 18–29, this percentage drops to 52%. This shows that the younger generation has a completely different approach to the issue of authenticity.
What's next for photography?
Traditional photography will not return to its pre-digital era glory, but its renaissance in 2024–2026 shows that people still value authenticity and manual work. In an era of algorithms, where everything is available instantly, the creative process becomes a luxury.
Does this mean that AI and traditional photography will coexist? Likely yes, but the boundaries between them will become increasingly distinct. As Joel Meyerowitz stated during the "Analog Forever" exhibition: "In the digital and AI age, analog photography has become an act of rebellion. Every photo is unique because it cannot be repeated – just like the moment we capture."
Perhaps that is where the key to the future of photography lies: not in technology, but in conscious choice – whether we want to be creators or just users of tools that do everything for us.
If you are interested in how artificial intelligence is changing other creative fields, read our post on the impact of AI on higher education. And if you are wondering which professions will disappear and which will emerge in the AI era, check out our analysis of the EU job market through 2030.
Sources
- https://spidersweb.pl/plus/plus/2026/07/fenomen-tradycyjnej-fotografii-w-czasach-obrazkow-ai/
- https://www.fujifilm.com
- https://www.dpreview.com
- https://fujifilm.pl
- https://www.keh.com/blog
- https://blog.adobe.com
- https://www.pewresearch.org
- https://www.moma.org
- https://www.instagram.com
- https://www.photographyvsai.org
- https://www.worldpressphoto.org
- https://www.worldpressphoto.org/winners-2026
- https://www.prixpictet.com
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