From Presets to Clones: When Every Photo Looks the Same
Has the “beautiful photo” become more of a style than an emotion? This article explores the evolution of photography in an era of standardized post-production, mass-market presets, and visual conformity. A reflection based on experience — without nostalgia.
Table of Contents
- What the Eye Sees Is Not What the Sensor Sees
- The Questions Raised by This Carousel
- There’s No Single Right Way to Photograph
- The Will to Stand Out Is Fueling Uniformity
- The Silent Disappearance of Creative Photography Experiments?
- Overexposed Locations and the Illusion of Originality
- Personal Example: Florence’s Duomo
- Conclusion
What the Eye Sees Is Not What the Sensor Sees
I recently came across a Before/After carousel on Instagram showing landscape post-production by a photographer who also sells Lightroom presets and teaches photo editing courses.
The final results are stunning: enhanced light rays, shifted tones, sculpted contrasts. A true technical tour de force, clearly mastered.
But this made me think: when post-production becomes standardized, are we still pursuing a personal vision — or just following a calibrated manufacturing process?
A Bit of Technical Context for Beginners
Dynamic range is measured in EV (Exposure Value), also known as stops.
1 EV = doubling or halving the exposure (e.g., f/4 → f/5.6 or 1/125s → 1/60s).
Modern RAW files from mirrorless cameras capture up to 14 stops of dynamic range, compared to just 3–5 EV for color slide film. Today, light can be shaped after capture. Back then, we had to wait for the right light… and trust the moment.
The Questions Raised by This Carousel
This isn’t a critique of the photographer, but a reflection: do we now have to conform to dominant visual codes to be seen?
- Heavily retouched landscapes have become a norm — almost an unspoken obligation.
- They’re rooted in Instagram filters and the logic of the attention economy.
- Natural looks are becoming the exception; subtle styles are pushed aside.
- AI-generated images are reshaping visual expectations.
- Viewers are sometimes disappointed in real life — the place doesn’t match the feed.
There’s No Single Right Way to Photograph
Retouching is a language — like composition or light. But when everything becomes spectacular, what room is left for emotion? Is the sincerity of a gaze still perceptible?
The Will to Stand Out Is Fueling Uniformity
Following the same presets and tutorials leads many to produce the same kind of images.
Photographers often become algorithm-driven content creators — unintentionally — instead of pursuing a personal vision.
The Silent Disappearance of Creative Photography Experiments?
In the 2010s, photo blogs were full of experiments: frozen droplets, light painting, staged portraits…
Today, AI and hyper-stylized results have pushed aside these demanding processes. Why spend two days building a setup when Midjourney can create ten versions in a minute?
But what’s lost when the effort disappears? Perhaps intention, mastery, and the joy of creation.
Overexposed Locations and the Illusion of Originality
A hashtag tells you exactly where to stand, when to go, and how to frame the shot. The place becomes a set. The image, a rite.
The contradiction: trying to stand out with the same tools and angles as everyone else. Is that still an artistic pursuit?
Personal Example: Florence’s Duomo
I photographed the Duomo of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, on a tripod, at dusk. I waited until the sky and the city lights reached a perfect balance. No composites. No added Milky Way. Just the real moment.
Would it need a full moon, Saturn in the background, and a few AI-generated fireflies to become “bankable”?
Click on the photo below to view it fullscreen.
You can purchase a limited edition fine art print of this Duomo photograph on the online gallery Une image pour rêver, signed and numbered.
All the photos displayed on this website are copyright protected © Sebastien Desnoulez. No use allowed without written authorization.
Toutes les photos de ce site sont protégées par copyright © Sebastien Desnoulez, aucune utilisation n’est autorisée sans accord écrit de l’auteur.
Legal notice
Conclusion
It’s not about nostalgia. Presets, AI, tutorials… all of it can serve creativity.
But only under one condition: that it supports a personal vision — not a standard aesthetic.
Photographing to please is easy.
Photographing to express something — or simply to feel — is harder… and far more valuable.
Rediscovering the joy of shooting for yourself is already a form of resistance to visual uniformity.
Further Reading
- Differences between Photography, Image Editing and Generative AI
- 40 Years of Photography – From Film to Mirrorless
About the Author
Sebastien Desnoulez is a fine art photographer specializing in architecture, landscape and travel. Trained in the analog era, he has embraced the digital transition while defending a thoughtful, sensitive approach to image-making. His work relies on natural light, composition, and a deep observation of the world — with a preference for subtle, timeless aesthetics. He is represented by the gallery Une Image pour Rêver, which offers his artworks in limited editions of 12 prints.
Tags
