In an automated world of AI...

Try to support small businesses where you still can. AI can be great in a lot of ways, but it's easy to ignore some of the negative impacts that it is having on the world. With data centers popping up left and right, it is driving up the cost for small business owners like myself.

Look, I get it, AI gives you what you're looking for, and quickly. From cartoon versions of yourself, to drafting an e-mail, or providing 'easy' and 'free' photo edits, it seems like a great tool. There is still a human element that is missing, which is where you may want to consider supporting your local small businesses. They can be hard to keep afloat as it is, and for photographers, one of the big repercussions of AI is that it is driving up costs for storage solutions. From SD cards, CF Express Cards, and External hard drives, all of it has doubled, or tripled in price.

For example, I purchased 4TB of storage in 2023 to store my photography work for $299. As of March 2026, that same hard drive is now $450. That's over a 50% increase in price in just three years. I'm not saying 'don't use AI at all,' but you may want to consider whether the problem you are trying to solve with AI can be done with a little more critical thinking on your part, or maybe engaging others for a proofread, or perhaps hiring a local artist instead, etc.

I don't mean to preach, and you can choose whether or not to listen to me. Just some food for thought!

If you aren't in the market for a photoshoot, there are other ways to support your local photographer. This support doesn't always have to be a camera themed coffee mug, although they are fun!

For example, you could gift them with a memory card for their camera! Or maybe even a gift card to https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ or one of the many other photography supply websites, or a local camera store to purchase supplies.