How AI can be used as a tool to enhance original nature photographs

Although AI should never be used to replace photography, it can be treated much like Photoshop or Lightroom—as a tool for enhancing an existing photograph.

By David John Sörensen · August 13, 2026

The Paradise canvas print collection grew out of my own experience of recovering my health by spending time in nature. I discovered that enjoying the countless wonders of God’s creation had a calming, refreshing, and life-giving effect on both my physical and emotional well-being.

The earliest photographs date back to 2005, when I purchased my first professional photography equipment. I began with Sony and later moved to Canon because of its wider variety of lenses. I also experimented with Nikon because of its fast sports lenses, but eventually returned to Canon because I prefer the feel of its cameras.

My photography was first published in a photography book titled “Amazing Beauty,” released in the Netherlands by Fontaine & Noe (original Dutch title "Machtig Mooi"). The response from readers was overwhelming, and a desire grew within me to share more of this beauty through a collection of canvas prints.

How Can I Share My ExperIence?

In pursuing this vision, I came face to face with one major challenge: How could I convey as much as possible of the experience I had when taking each photograph?

Some photographs turned out perfectly straight from the camera—a result of ideal light and atmospheric conditions. Others needed more work to become the best they could be. For decades, photographers have relied on tools such as Photoshop and Lightroom to brighten dark photos, add contrast, remove distractions, and so on. Recently, however, a powerful new tool has become available: artificial intelligence.

This latest addition to the photographer’s toolbox also appears to threaten the very existence of photography because AI can create entire images out of thin air. No human artist needs to be present in nature. There is no firsthand experience of beauty to convey and no passion born from witnessing the scene. A person can simply type a prompt into a computer, and AI will magically produce a natural landscape.

Will this completely replace authentic photography? I do not believe so. A genuine photograph still contains certain essential qualities that AI can never fully replicate, and a trained eye can recognize them. For that reason, I am not overly concerned about AI completely taking over the photography industry. People will continue to appreciate the real thing over an imitation.

Personally, I use AI much as I use Photoshop, Lightroom, and other photo-editing software: to enhance an original photograph. This, however, raises an important question: How far should I go?

AI can change the entire mood of an image. A photograph taken in broad daylight can be transformed into a dramatic sunset scene while preserving the same environment, subject, and composition but changing the light and time of day.

Ideally, a photographer would always be present during those elusive moments when mist perfectly covers a valley and magical rays of light break through the clouds, casting a golden glow across the landscape. In reality, however, this is not always possible.

As I reviewed my own photography collection, I found a number of truly fascinating images: our horses running across our land in Colorado, a golden eagle soaring through the sky, and a moose captured by one of my trail cameras in the wilderness. Yet none of these images could be sold as they were because the lighting was not ideal or sharpness was lacking. Even so, each one captured a magnificent moment in time and reflected a wonderful experience I had in that place.

What should I do? Should I bury these photographs forever so that no one else can enjoy them? Or should I use modern technology—together with my own artistic creativity and skills—to transform a rough image into a work of art that expresses the experience of that moment, allowing others to enjoy its magnificent beauty?

I decided to treat AI in the same way I treat Photoshop and Lightroom: as a useful tool for enhancing an original photograph and creating a personal work of art that conveys the majesty of a moment as I experienced it in nature. If I can improve the light, reveal more detail, and increase the mood so that it brings the splendor of nature into someone’s life—bringing joy and peace to their soul—then I have achieved my purpose.

I recognize that a line must be drawn regarding how far visual artists and photographers should go with tools such as Photoshop and AI. Some artists use them to create fully computer-generated images. Such images can certainly be considered art when they express an original idea and communicate a personal message.

That is what I do, for example, with my Christian wall art collection. Through those works, I seek to express aspects of God’s nature and the Christian faith while encouraging people with the love of God. Most of those images cannot be photographed because the scenes do not exist in the physical world. Multiple images must be blended into a new visual composition that communicates the passionate love of Christ or the glorious power of God.

When it comes to nature photography, however, a different approach is necessary. My goal is to show real natural scenes that I have personally photographed. Just as Photoshop and Lightroom have been used for decades to brighten dark areas, add contrast, and increase color saturation, I sometimes use AI to enhance existing photographs. This is the case for about 5% of my photography.

Sometimes I may also use it to add details, such as more colorful leaves on a tree, taller grass in the foreground, or a touch of mist to create a greater sense of mystery. In these instances, the final artwork combines an original photograph—which always remains the foundation—with my artistic imagination to create a scene that I believe will be a blessing to other people.

I believe these types of AI-enhanced photographs should never be submitted to a photography competition because certain elements were added afterward. I believe photography competitions should remain dedicated to photographs that faithfully represent the scenes as they were captured. My purpose, however, is not to win photography contests. It is to create beautiful works of art that bring the beauty of the outdoors into people’s homes and workplaces.

It is my conviction that humanity was never meant to spend most of life inside buildings. We were created to live surrounded by the wonderful beauty of nature, which has a profoundly soothing and uplifting effect on our nervous systems.

That’s why my objective is to use my own nature photography—and, where needed, thoughtfully enhance it—to create works of natural beauty that enable people to experience the wonders of nature indoors. I also hope these works inspire people to leave their buildings more often and experience the wilderness for themselves.

Nothing compares to a refreshing stroll through a sunlit park, where birds sing, leaves glisten in the sunlight, grass sparkles beneath your feet, and ducks fly overhead. Nor is there anything quite like a long walk through a spring forest, where life bursts forth all around you and your senses are filled with wonder, or a walk along the beach, where your feet sink into the sand, waves splash against your legs, and you breathe in the healing ocean air.

My goal is to spend as much time in nature as possible, photographing the countless wonders our amazing Creator has provided for us to enjoy. By using all the tools available to modern artists, I hope to offer people the most beautiful prints possible so that they, too, can enjoy this beauty in their homes and workplaces.