Does Effort Make a Photograph More Valuable?

Creating a photograph isn’t just about pressing a button. But does all that effort actually make the final image more valuable?

Coming to you from Shoot On Film—by Ari Jaaksi, this thoughtful video questions whether difficulty adds worth to a photograph. Jaaksi starts with everyday examples: paying for groceries is easier than ever with a phone and navigation is now handled by GPS. In these cases, convenience doesn’t lessen value. But then he shifts to activities where difficulty matters. Watching a rock climber scale El Capitan is gripping because of the risk and effort involved. If the same person used an electric winch, the feat would lose meaning. Competitive sports follow similar rules—hockey goalies can’t wear oversized pads to make their job easier. Some activities are valuable precisely because they are difficult.

Jaaksi then turns to music, where technology has changed how performances are judged. Autotune can correct a singer’s pitch, and live performances can be altered in real time. He brings up an incident involving Celine Dion at the Paris Olympics, where her performance was revealed to be pre-recorded and digitally corrected. While she’s undeniably talented, the discovery made the performance feel less authentic. He contrasts this with a digital keyboard’s demo mode, which can produce a flawless melody at the press of a button. But perfection isn’t always engaging—raw human expression, with its imperfections, often holds more value.

This brings the discussion back to photography. AI-enhanced smartphone cameras ensure every shot is sharp, well-balanced, and vibrant. You don’t need to understand aperture, shutter speed, or composition; the software does it for you. But when everything looks the same, does it still hold meaning? Jaaksi argues that mass-produced, perfectly polished images can feel cold and empty. They flood our daily lives, often serving as marketing tools rather than artistic expressions. As a result, a single photograph has less impact than it once did.

The conclusion is clear: difficulty matters. The hours spent in a darkroom, the trial and error, and the mastery of technique all contribute to an image’s depth and character. While technology can simplify the process, it can't replace the human effort that makes certain photographs stand out. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Jaaksi.