Jamie C Loc: Indialantic, Florida

Honestly, it's based on a lack of observable creativity, especially creativity based on human neurons firing.

I don't see creativity in network or streaming services. How many "new" movies are a remake/rehash of movies produced years ago. The "SitComs" that dominate the free airwaves are no better.

Music, while highly produced and hyped relentlessly, features mostly dance retinues with a vocal track, aerobatics, and, if even present, musicians hiding in the background.

I found for a while, some very creative and compelling contemporary works of fiction until they become formulaic as well.

Now with AI and Chatbots, humans are relieved of creativity and are easily awed by images and even stories created by a machine designed to appear human-like.

I apologize for my rather cynical outlook but I find nothing creative about AI assisted photography. Also, I am deeply concerned the direction of modern "photography" where images are not (entirely or at all) based on real scenes and that's no issue to most.

I was a member of a local photography club. I stopped my membership when meetings became nothing more than marketing "photo" apps to correct poor technique. Further, the monthly photo contest were dominated by images that were greatly enhanced/adulterated. Erasing a portion of the image that it unwanted by replacing it with synthesized pixels is not creative.

mindzye Loc: WV

Fun?? Yepiree! And you won't convince me you don't either! Stay safe out there - lots of varmints nipping at the heels it seems.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

There is that, too.

srt101fan

I assume the quoted post above is in reply to my response to an earlier comment from you (https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-793529-6.html#14315150). A suggestion: If you press "Quote Reply" rather than "Reply", everyone will see what you are replying to.

Thank you for your thoughtful explanation of why you think there is an overall reduction in creativity. I think I can agree with some of your conclusions albeit with a touch less cynicism.

mhicks49

On the occasions I've spoken publicly about photography, I've stressed this statement, "If you do not have good composition, you do not have a good photograph." I've stressed the guidelines for good compositon and when those guidelines can be broken.

The lighting, focus, and everything else can be good, but if the photographer does not have good composition, he/she does not have an artfully good photograph. I've had my times of a chance in a lifetime shot, and messed up the composition.

I hope this helps anyone who is making an effort to be a decent photographer. I do not have all the answers but I know a little. Hope you all have a wonderful week and a Merry Christmas.

jaredjacobson

Out of curiosity, what do you consider a legitimate form of critique?

dustie Loc: Nose to the grindstone

(page 1) -- Larry page wrote:
I have commented several times that it seems very difficult to find a photograph with "heart." I'm not even exactly sure what that is, other than being a likely intangible reason to look at a photograph a little bit longer, or to come back and look at it again. Or perhaps to try to decipher its "story."...
...While a level of competence is certainly appropriate for any aspiring artist to master, art has never been primarily intended to show off technical prowess. It has been rather to communicate emotions, ideals, beliefs, points of view, and a host of other important and many times intangible values. That's why truly dedicated art teachers will say (forcefully), "Anyone can create art."
________________

Not single frame still photography in this example, Larry, but videography --
-- a presentation lacking in technical perfection in several ways, so it probably is a big failure in the eyes of purists of all sorts who would counsel delete it and try again --

......but the dedicated spontaneity of the heart is oozing out all over in the genuine passion of the moment.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkf4cAfJqxI

Now if some of us older ones can learn to put our heart into it in a similar degree.

Jamie C Loc: Indialantic, Florida

"Anyone can create art."

"Any human" is quite implicit in this claim. That is "anyone," as opposed to "anything."

"It has been rather to communicate emotions, ideals, beliefs, points of view, and a host of other important and many times intangible values."

These are human values. Perhaps they can be mimic'd by a machine and soon that's all most folks will ever know or experience.

I hope I am wrong.

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frangeo Loc: Texas

OMG!! You have no idea how much I cringe looking at "pro's " images advertising their services. Flat lighting, ring lights killing the color of the eyes and a whole soap box of other things where they could have made a much better image. Smile, good exposure, all done. High class point and shoot.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It's their art, their interpretation.
I might not care for it, but they do.
And they think they have the best way.
For them...
To each his own.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

One topic that has been ignored throughout is that there are whole aspects of legitimate photography that have no requirement for artisanship or even creativity.

When I take pictures of kids at school to possibly find their way to the yearbook or school website, there are really about three or four requirements. The images need to be properly focused and exposed, color needs to be correct (our small staff doesn't have time or energy to fix my mistakes), and parents and grandparents need to be able to recognize their babies. Since my image is probably one of seven or eight being considered for the same space on the page, the editor needs to find it more interesting than the other six or seven.

The robotics team has slightly different considerations. They do appreciate a little artistry, because they receive competition points for their promotional materials. Unusual shots, like stop-action shots of ammunition (nerf balls) headed into a target really elevates pulse rates. Here's one from 2 1/2 years ago. It;s the same unedited image I uploaded for them right after I took it. (And no. it's not picked out of a burst...it's just after a couple of practice attempts.

So we have to be a little bit careful about over-generalizing (thanks, Linda).

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Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Or super perfection.....

Many are self-inflicted requirements.

Jamie C Loc: Indialantic, Florida

All I have left to contribute:

Creativity in photography relies on "seeiing" not "capturing"

Jamie C Loc: Indialantic, Florida

Look ma! No colors

R.G. Loc: Scotland

That's all that AI has ever done. We teach software how to be a good mimic, how to create a convincing simulation.

Even when AI is being apparently original it's just shuffling and re-mixing the ingredients that we taught it about. We tell AI what matters and what works well, and that training process has to be carefully controlled and considered. Any omissions on our part will lead to AI that's deficient. We just need to know without having to learn the hard way that it would be a mistake to leave robotics in full control of vital systems.