The AI thread

[Corran]

"grey area"

I didn't say anything about grey area...but the nitpicky details will probably be important, to someone. What about a small part of a photograph is replaced with an AI-generated component? How much is too much? How do you prove something is AI or not? How about AI-generative fill as is available in newer Photoshop versions? What about really creative uses of AI incorporated into photography, stuff that literally doesn't exist so cannot be photographed? I don't have the answers, just thinking out loud.

The most commonly-used cameras today are cell phone cams, many models of which automatically edit and touch-up photographs to make people look better than reality using what is essentially AI, just simpler.

Photography aside, all these questions are even harder for digital art and artists.

Good luck to us all .

[Drew Wiley]

Why does it even need to factor into what we choose to do? Gimmicks and fads inevitably come and go. If you have a career in propaganda or deceptive marketing, or in detecting these things, well, you better keep up with it. But why should it have an iota to do with our own photography? Just a new round of hoola hoops and selfie sticks as far as I'm concerned. The more the silliness spreads, the more certain people will appreciate high craft based on visual integrity instead. The garbage-in/garbage-out mentality always has an off smell to it.

[paulbarden]

Why does it even need to factor into what we choose to do? But why should it have an iota to do with our own photography?

It doesn't have anything to do with what I do as a photographer. But because my main "portfolio" is Flickr, I get to see all the hundreds of AI/Midjourney images that are flooding onto the platform, and MANY of these people label the work as "photograph/photography". I guess this concerns me because I have an intense dislike for people who intentionally misrepresent the work they put forward, and are often extremely averse to labeling it as what it really is. It's disingenuous and just plain wrong. I see people commenting on Flickr all the time, clearly indicating that they are interpreting these pieces as genuine photographs. The impression with many people is going to be that photography has entered a magical new age in which miraculous results are possible, and that has the effect of diluting the brand, so to speak. I think AI is going to be a sh*t show for years to come.

[Sal Santamaura]

Why does it even need to factor into what we choose to do?...

Depends on who "we" is.

[Pieter]

AI is a fantastic tool for photo-realistic illustration. It will replace much of what has been done in the past with photo illustration/retouching programs, as well as what might be left of the illustration market altogether. Plus, it will provide an outlet for the many who do not have the ability or talent to draw, paint or photograph, but want to express themselves visually. It will also come to the rescue of those needing to recreate scenes that were not properly documented or create images for non-existing situations, such as a building or park that is planned but not yet made.

Truly creative folks will be able to render surrealistic images unimagined by others--Jerry Uelsmann comes to mind--or just be able to create something that pleases them without needing photographic equipment or art supplies and the ability to use them. A paraplegic could create the art he or she might long to express but could not physically until now. AI is in its infancy, and sure, some will abuse it or try to pass it off as another medium, but the possibilities are enormous.

[Corran]

I agree wholeheartedly with the above! I used to draw when I was young. I was always really bad. Music and photography became the creative outlet for me but there's many things I can see in my head that are not photographs, or photographable. Even just quick quirky illustrations are fun - my wife used it to make some cartoon versions of us doing the things we love yesterday.

I can't wait to see how AI continues to evolve.

[Drew Wiley]

Truly creative folks will have to prove they are truly creative, and not just another generation of Uelsmann wannabees. There have been plenty of those already; and no, they're not equal. Jerry was a magician who knew how to hide his hand. But given a thousand times the technology, it seems almost impossible for these neo clones to hide theirs.

[Michael R]

Truly creative folks will have to prove they are truly creative, and not just another generation of Uelsmann wannabees. There have been plenty of those already; and no, they're not equal. Jerry was a magician who knew how to hide his hand. But given a thousand times the technology, it seems almost impossible for these neo clones to hide theirs.

What was hidden in Uelsmann's prints? They were overtly in-your-face composited images. Exactly the kind of stuff you'd scoff at and call "fauxtoshop" if you didn't know beforehand they were made by him. The only difference is he used a slew of enlargers instead of software. Woopdeedoo.

[Pieter]

Truly creative folks will have to prove they are truly creative, and not just another generation of Uelsmann wannabees. There have been plenty of those already; and no, they're not equal. Jerry was a magician who knew how to hide his hand. But given a thousand times the technology, it seems almost impossible for these neo clones to hide theirs.

Uelsmann's hand was quite evident in his work. His talent was to be able to create seamless, surrealistic scenes by making prints through compositing negatives, but he did not invent the style nor the imagery. He just did was had been done before by painters and others. I am sure there is a lot of AI crap being churned out by talentless hacks, but I am also sure there are gifted artists experimenting with this new technique.

[jnantz]

Uelsmann's hand was quite evident in his work. His talent was to be able to create seamless, surrealistic scenes by making prints through compositing negatives, but he did not invent the style nor the imagery. He just did was had been done before by painters and others. I am sure there is a lot of AI crap being churned out by talentless hacks, but I am also sure there are gifted artists experimenting with this new technique.

there's a lot of everything in every medium on the planet being churned out by talented hacks. that's the beauty of the world we live in, ... if someone wants to do something nothing's stopping them. at least those talented hacks are happy and proud to show their work, and some of these so called talented hacks are pretty darn good at what they do ( they really aren't talentless hacks at all, but highly skilled and talented enough that others might be jealous of enough to call talented hacks ) nothing new under the sun and all that ..