Mirrorless Cameras Accidentally Killed Photography
May 14, 2026 12:19 pm
Dear friends,
I have just published a new article on Medium: Mirrorless Cameras Accidentally Killed Photography. What Does That Mean for Design Education?
The article begins with photography, but it is really about education, technology and the slow disappearance of judgement. Mirrorless cameras did not damage photography because they were bad. They changed photography because they became too good. Autofocus, burst modes, computational previews and technical perfection have made the image sharper, cleaner and faster, but they have also removed some of the friction that once taught photographers how to see.
I believe design education is now facing the same problem.
AI, templates, automated layout systems, mock-up platforms and social media aesthetics are making average work look finished before students have developed the judgement to understand whether the work has meaning. We are producing more outputs, more images, more options and more polished surfaces, but not necessarily better designers.
The question is not whether we should reject technology. The question is what happens when technology removes difficulty before the student has learnt through difficulty. What happens to patience, observation, failure, craft, material knowledge, historical memory and ethical judgement? What happens when the machine makes things sharper, but cannot teach us what is worth seeing?
You can read the full article here:
As always, thank you for reading and for supporting this ongoing conversation around design, education and the future of creative practice.
Warm wishes,
Lefteris
