Its waaaaaaay more than speculation. Its just plain outright OBVIOUS. But you are quantum mechanically correct that theres no *absolute* way of knowing which parallel universe would apply as viewed from within UHH.

Yes its not impossible that if AA was still alive and active that he would shun digital entirely cuz he realizes that he is most marketable as a living fossil, and that role play might require iconoclastic shunning of anything that might, even slightly, diminish the image of live fossil.

IOW, its all about marketing.

I had an article to write for a newsletter in our retirement community. It needed an image because all the good articles in the monthly news letter has an image. I want some sort of happy, older person at a beach or in the wilderness with a camera.

I didn't have such an image. I didn't want to shoot such an image. I don't have an account at any stock photo agency. I didn't want any of my neighbors to be identifiable.

Adobe Firefly to the rescue! Before the newsletter people threw me under their bus, I came up with a humorous image that fit the article.

I see it that Adobe provided me with something both fun and useful.

I started photography by taking what looked like interesting artistic photos in film.

Then I became a wedding and portrait PHOTOGRAPHER in film. Here my work started to blur into art. People never liked their photos and always wanted to look better so I had to arrange light conditions which avoided any stark looks.

After about 6 years as a wedding/portrait PHOTOGRAPHER, I was essentially burned out, and only took travel photos and photos of the kids, returning to being just a photographer.

With the advent of digital, and then increasingly complex digital editing, my photography became PHOTOGRAPHY again. And now, people look at my photos and the first thing they say after “Oh WOW!” is, “Nice Painting....Oh wait, that’s a photograph.... I wonder how he did that."

I have moved into ART. My photographs are the way I want to see the subject, not necessarily the way it is in fact. Mirrorless, focus merge, and extensive digital editing allow me to do this. And, in my mind, I became a PHOTOGRAPHER once again.

After 30 years I am retiring from B&H Photo as of 05/03/24. My job is being transferred to Geoffrey Ngai <gngai@bhphoto.com>. 

Working for B&H and interacting here with all of you has been a singular and entirely satisfying experience. I want to thank everyone here who helped make it so. When I started at B&H I never expected to be here for 30 years, Now it's time to step back, stop setting the alarm clock every morning, and spend more time paying attention to my wife. 

Best wishes to one and all.