If you’ve been following Dartschool for a while, you know I’m mostly a words guy. E-books & blog posts, that’s my comfort zone.
But of course, Dartschool also needs visuals. For the website, for social media, for workshop slides. And let’s be honest: good photos make the difference.
The problem isn’t that I don’t have good photos. It’s that I often need something just a little different than what’s actually on the image.
So I tried something new: AI image editing, using Google’s image generator Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 – flash-image).
And wow. It works. But also… it stirs up some questions.
Where do you draw the line between enhancement and manipulation? What’s OK? What feels weird? And what’s just a hard no?
Let me walk you through three experiments – with my personal verdicts:
✅ Allowed ⚠️ Borderline ❌ Over the line
✅ 1. Retouching: Go for it
In the early days of Dartschool, I hired photographer Sandra Sannen to shoot some great action shots. Fantastic work.
But one of the best images had a small problem: ads on the surround and scoreboard.
Not a big deal, but the sponsor no longer exists. And without the branding, the image would be much more versatile.
Experiment: I asked Nano Banana:
Remove the text ‘D.L. Darts’ and ‘Eric’, and the two blue logos on the surround.
Result: Clean, simple, done. No text, just a generic darts shot. No fakery, just a more reusable version.
My verdict: This is retouching – and retouching has been around forever. Whether it’s Photoshop or AI doesn’t matter much here. No deception, no lies. Just a tidy-up.
Should I mention “AI-enhanced”? Honestly… no. You wouldn’t label a blue-sky edit as “Photoshopped”, right?
⚠️ 2. Manipulation: Hmm...
I often organise teambuildings and darts introductions. Great fun, always a good vibe. But capturing that vibe in photos is… tricky.
You want real people doing real stuff. But you can’t just throw those images online without proper consent – especially nowadays. I try to be respectful of that.
Experiment: I asked Banana:
Change the face and hairstyle of the person in front, so they’re unrecognisable. Then: make the person a different gender.
(And yes, the original person is not in these photos, and yes, I blurred the others very quickly with Canva.)
Result: Visually convincing. And legally fine – the person doesn’t exist. But morally? Hmm… It feels dishonest. It looks like something that never really happened.
My verdict: Borderline. It’s a great tool for internal use or illustrative purposes. But for public promotional use? Not sure. It depends on the context. And yes – here I would add “AI-generated”.
❌ 3. Fully generated photos: Cool? Sure. But no thanks.
This time, I went full banana 🍌:
Create a photo of a successful darts teambuilding, with me front and centre. Use this image as a reference.
Result: It looks like a great evening. There’s a happy crowd, a nice vibe… and someone who kind of looks like me. But it’s not me. And it never happened.
. 
Everyone in that photo is fake. The place, the people, the moment – all generated.
My verdict: Over the line. Technically impressive. But emotionally? It feels like a lie. Even with good intentions, this isn’t the kind of image I want to show on a page that’s all about trust, community and actual events.
And if you do label it as “AI generated”? Then what’s the point of the image at all?
So… where do you draw the line?
I’m sharing this not to shock, but to be transparent.
AI gives us new tools – but also new dilemmas. Especially in an educational project like Dartschool, where authenticity really matters.
What do you think?
• Is it OK to change faces in real event photos?
• Would you use an AI group photo on your website?
• Where do you draw the line between edited and fake?
Let me know – via mail, socials or just shout into the void. I’m curious!
PS: Real darts > fake images
For the record: the real magic of Dartschool doesn’t come from AI tools or flashy visuals. It comes from real workshops, real coaching and real growth. Banana can’t touch that 🍌
👉 Want to know more about what we actually do?
Visit www.dartschool.be or get in touch about a fun teambuilding or darts intro session.
