🔴 Guest Post: Sundeep Kheterpal
Moving into the Leica system has reignited my passion for photography, from choosing gear to planning shoots and exploring creativity. I now work backwards from a vision of the shoot to the gear and planning, rather than starting with equipment.
My early adopter mindset has allowed me to merge AI experimentation with a growing artistic eye, producing images close to those I would create in real shoots. Here I share my passion for Leica and my finding from experimenting with AI for portraits.
Who is Sundeep?
My name is Sundeep Kheterpal, a hobbyist photographer living and working in Berkshire. I am humbled to be invited to write a guest blog. Hobbyist is probably the best description for my photography journey – I am not hugely expert or knowledgeable in any specific field. I don’t really look back to vintage gear but I do, however, always like to try new technology and ideas.
My journey to Leica
My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic 126 at age of eight. As a teenager, I borrowed my father’s Mamiya SLR and learned darkroom techniques at school. In my 20’s I moved to a Canon EOS650, which then sat in storage for three decades—until I recently dusted it off and found it still works perfectly!
I have accumulated various digital cameras over 20 years for work and family moving through to Fujifilm APS-C bodies. After several iterations, I landed on the X-Pro3, which sparked my interest in rangefinders and then on to Leica. Over the past few years I have picked up the SL2-S, CL, M11-P, and this summer the MP.
The Leica SL2-S autofocus has never really impressed me, even trying out the SL3, so I branched to the Lumix S1RII—much lighter than the SL setup and a joy to use with heavier L mount glass. The Lumix S and S Pro lenses are an outstanding package for value, sufficiently sharp, colour rendition, portability and fast autofocus (I agree with Matt – better with a mist filter added for portraits!)
With the Leica CL and SL2-S, I have started to appreciate the real differences between cameras and lenses, to a degree that I had not done before. I have gone through a whole gamut of gear but am now slowing down to decide what I want to do, and not what I think I should be doing according to reviews and articles.
I have also revived my Canon EOS system, using EF lenses on my SL2-S and S1Rii with a Sigma EF–L mount adapter. The EF 85mm f/1.4 L IS USM has become one of my favourites.
I am learning to experiment not only with older lenses but happy to try the new generations of replicas and also to adapt other lens mounts. This reflects my nature to move forward with technology but now learning to use it to create images with my own vision, rather than someone else’s creative vision (or no vision!). With this angle, I still look forward and try any new opportunities which is how and why I have dabbled with AI in the last year or so.
Why Leica?
My initial draw to Leica came through the Fujifilm X-Pro3, with its rangefinder-inspired form factor. I loved the ability to see the world as it is and slow down the capture process. But what keeps me here?
There’s something unique about Leica M cameras—the construction, the feel, even the sound of the shutter. That is hard to replicate elsewhere. For film, that tactile pleasure is reason enough. For digital, the question is trickier: why Leica over other brands?
As I get older, an EVF has become indispensable. Framing, exposure, reviewing images—it’s simply more practical than external viewfinders like the Visoflex. And yet, I keep coming back to the SL2-S. On paper, the Lumix S1R II beats it: faster, lighter, cheaper, higher resolution, and compatible with the same lenses. But the Leica sensor has a subtle glow, a gentler rendering compared to the Lumix.
With landscapes or street photography, the difference may be minimal if you’re using the same lenses. But with portraits, Leica images have a lush quality—regardless of the lens. Could other systems replicate that? Probably. But not with the same breadth and history of M lenses. Using M glass on my Lumix just does not deliver the same result.
And then there is the community. The enthusiasm, support, and camaraderie I’ve experienced in the Leica world feels unmatched. Whether meeting other users or stepping into a Leica store, there is a shared outlook and connection that makes the system more than just gear.
What do I photograph?
I have always photographed a bit of everything—street, landscapes, travel, family, friends. I was the one with the camera at weddings, school sports matches, and later my kids’ activities. Portraits came later, starting with workshops I attended with my daughter before COVID.
During and after the pandemic, I practiced headshots and group photos at work, but I always felt something was missing. My first workshop with Matt changed that—it gave me the confidence to believe I could produce images with genuine creative output.
With limited travel time, portrait photography has become my main creative outlet over the past two years. It’s opened up a side of me I didn’t know existed. I’ve never considered myself artistic; I’ve always been structured, scientific, process-driven. That’s how I approached portraits at first—methodically, not spontaneously.
But in recent months, something’s shifted. With my basic methods in place, I’ve started shooting more freely. What feels spontaneous to me is probably just the culmination of training and experience—but it doesn’t matter. It feels spontaneous, it feels creative, and that’s what counts. Shooting portraits and undertaking model photography has become a new most enjoyable pastime, with new people, new processes and a new journey.
Thoughts (about Ai)
The rapid progress of AI is astounding. Within 12 months basic editing has become full capability in creations and revision. Some of you reading this will be regular users of AI but I thought it would be worthwhile sharing my journey and experiments to encourage others to explore AI and form a view of your own, if not already.
AI for Travel and Photography Itinerary Planning
I have used ChatGPT and Perplexity AI to draft photography focused itineraries for travel and family holidays. It is surprisingly easy to ask for a three-day photography plan with locations, shooting times, lighting conditions, and suggested equipment. AI can even adjust the schedule to fit specific requirements. On top of that, it will recommend restaurants, the best
times to visit, and ways to avoid crowds. Honestly, it is far easier than ploughing through brochures, websites, or endless YouTube videos when going to a new travel destination. Highly recommended!
AI for Comparing Cameras and Lenses
Can you compare cameras and lenses with AI? Well, yes, you can. ChatGPT, for example, learns from your searches and preferences, tailoring its suggestions to your photography style. That said, in 2025, AI reviews still lack the depth of an experienced photographer’s perspective. A seasoned shooter who understands your approach can provide insights that AI summaries simply cannot replicate.
AI reviews of lenses or cameras will give you an average or summary of the most popular reviews but the problem with that is that the sources it uses may not be particularly valid. Many YouTubers give opinions, and there will be opinions in chat groups or magazine articles, but these may not be experienced enough to gather the nuances for the equipment or style you want.
What you may be better doing is just getting a pros and cons list or a choice of recommendations that you can start with. However, that still may or may not give you what is best for you.
Can AI Replace Portrait Photography?
This is where the AI debate heats up. With tools like Google’s “Nano Banana” (and others), AI’s ability to manipulate portraits has advanced dramatically. It has become easy to remove people from backgrounds, adjust clothing, reshape faces, change complexions, or even replace entire backgrounds.
Photographers have been retouching portraits the darkroom days—cleaning up
complexions, whitening teeth, and helping subjects look their best. Adobe Photoshop and Evoto Ai have good options for complexions. That is part of the craft – in fact professionals are required to produce work that makes people look good.
However, the question now is: how far should we go? Is it acceptable to take an old image, change the clothing, or change the background and present it as a new portrait? It may be so if it is for yourself or a client to re-create something for another format or another ‘look’.
These practices could reduce the income of professional portrait photographers, especially if AI can generate magazine cover-ready images without a studio or a photographer.
Simple editing with Lightroom CC and Generative heal such as removing people and hair fill with generative AI. Watch out for reflections when removing people and remember you can regenerate smaller sections of previously larger generated areas. The retouching works well in the standard platforms. Each stage still requires a specific instruction.
What if there was a platform that undertook the revisions you need with just one single written sentence or prompt? Well that is happening now as well with platforms such as Google Pixshop.
The Value of Real Photography
I am not a philosopher, but I have been reflecting on why these AI generated images matter. For work, I have created an AI images of people performing tasks using use Adobe Firefly and Google Nano Banana. It takes less than five minutes, saved money, and works perfectly well enough for marketing and teaching.
On the other hand, I also recently created black and white style portrait in ten minutes (example below). The portrait at the start of this article was also created in the same way using Google Nano Banana. This was watermarked, but removing the watermark was trivial. The speed and accessibility are astonishing.
It looks good, and if my only goal was to get ‘likes’ on YouTube, it might have been enough. As hobbyists, however, we know photography is more than quick results. It is about the process: building up gear, learning skills, traveling, meeting people, making mistakes, developing both analogue and digital images, and refining our craft. That journey is where the passion lies.
Portraits that I have shot recently (in real life) essentially took me nearly two years of practice, training, and experimentation with equipment. The satisfaction of creating it far outweighed any AI shortcut. Interestingly though, as someone without an artistic or creative background, I could not have directed AI to produce the image above without the knowledge and creative ideas that I have gained through my recent experience.
The Creative Difference
So, what separates an AI image from a real one? It is the same difference between a masterpiece painted by a great artist and a copy made by his or her student. The genius lies in the creativity—the mysterious quality of the human hand and mind. AI is utilising and drawing upon existing materials but until AI learns to create a new essence that is valued and appreciated by its human audience, real creation will always stand apart.
AI is changing photography, but it does not replace the passion, skill, and satisfaction of creating images yourself. For hobbyists, AI is best seen as a companion tool—something that helps with planning, editing, and experimenting, while leaving the true artistry to you as the creator. The joy of
photography lies in the journey: learning, experimenting, and capturing moments that reflect your vision. AI may speed up the process, but it cannot replace the heart behind the lens.
The choice of process remains yours whether it be analogue, digital, or AI; whether you create your vision in person with equipment and people and locations or whether solely at your computer. Are you happy with the product? Are your clients happy? Are you honest in your journey? What gives you satisfaction? Do you need millions of viewers for income or the satisfaction of an outcome from a leaning journey (or both?).
The vision, the choice of process and the satisfaction achieved from whatever you want and need from the outcome remains yours.
How do you know MrLeica?
I met Matt about 18 months ago and his workshops have been a huge transformation for me —covering everything from planning and working with models to processing and presentation. His relaxed teaching style and Patreon content have made for rapid enjoyable learning. His influence can clearly be seen in my recent efforts!
Favourite Leica camera?
My favourite everyday camera I think has to be the Leica CL. It is just such a stress-free every day carry. A great sensor for portraits.
Yes it’s not 60MP (only 24MP), yes it’s not rangefinder, yes high ISO is quite grainy and yes the video is not great, but at £1000-£1500 it’s such an easy camera to use, to travel with and shoot both manual focus and autofocus.
I have the digital Leica M11-P and film Leica MP but I’m still the learning curve with these so for me, I would reserve them for when I take time out and spend some time specifically on a shoot. The effort and satisfaction in using them is certainly there but the Leica CL is just so easy and useful. (The Leica SL2-S is a joy but heavier to travel with).
Favourite lens?
In the Leica M system, my favourite lenses include the Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f1.5 (especially on the CL) and my Leica Summilux M 75mm f1.4.
Favourite film?
This summer I’ve been experimenting with Ilford Delta 400 and Lomography Color 92 films.
Where can you find Sundeep?
Follow me at:
- Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/valleyportraits
- Instagram – @valleyportraitphotography
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