The rise of the AI: I don't know if this belongs or not to a photography forum, but here it goes. The imaging AI's are getting better by the minute, I beieve (and many others too) that...

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

I don't know if this belongs or not to a photography forum, but here it goes.

The imaging AI's are getting better by the minute, I beieve (and many others too) that in short time they will be able to create images indistingible from reality...

For instante, look at this example I've created using Midjourney by using this simple sentence: "Sailboat at dusk with clouds hdr"

(Download)

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

jlg1000 wrote:

I don't know if this belongs or not to a photography forum, but here it goes.

The imaging AI's are getting better by the minute, I beieve (and many others too) that in short time they will be able to create images indistingible from reality...

For instante, look at this example I've created using Midjourney by using this simple sentence: "Sailboat at dusk with clouds hdr"

You can post it in a photography forum, but it's not photography. Belongs in chit chat, not general photography.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

AI in photography is doing interesting things, but, like self-driving cars, it's not there yet. Not sure if it will get there in a 'short time' (a meaningless phrase -- are you talking about time relative to computer development or time relative to geology?).

I see AI as having a future in photography, but not necessarily as a complete picture generator. It is already showing fairly good results in noise reduction and sharpening (although it's still early days even there). Photographs are a way to show an instant in time. AI pictures are like paintings, showing something imagined (by a computer rather than a human artist).

mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

nice

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

That would appear to be CGI, not photography since it wasn't captured by a camera.

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

DirtFarmer wrote:

AI in photography is doing interesting things, but... (show quote)

Agree.. somewhat.

Imagine an AI sky generator.

Instead of swapping the sky with some photo, you could just ask the software "a dramatic sunset with some fluffy clouds"

Or correct dying grass with "beutiful green grass with some clovers and sprinked with some little flowes"

Or swap a flat sea with "some waves crashing into the beach"

Bayou

That image looks nothing like a photograph, much less like "reality".

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

Bayou wrote:

That image looks nothing like a photograph, much less like "reality".

Agreed... but where is the red line?

Sky swapping == OK, sky imagine == not OK ??

Greening the grass with "advanced color" (CO1) == OK, grass imagine == not OK ??

Who could tell anyway?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

jlg1000 wrote:

I don't know if this belongs or not to a photography forum, but here it goes.

The imaging AI's are getting better by the minute, I beieve (and many others too) that in short time they will be able to create images indistingible from reality...

For instante, look at this example I've created using Midjourney by using this simple sentence: "Sailboat at dusk with clouds hdr"

It is not photography .
Just like painting is not photography or charcoal is not photography.
It IS a completely separate art form and not photography.
It will grow as there is no individual skill involved thus anyone can do it and will be for the masses.
It will be fun and interesting though and we shall see how this art form to develops.

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

Bayou wrote:

That image looks nothing like a photograph, much less like "reality".

Dind't pretend that... but I foresee that in some "near" future, these AI's could generate images which can't be tell from truth.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

jlg1000 wrote:

Dind't pretend that... but I foresee that in some "near" future, these AI's could generate images which can't be tell from truth.

I will agree with that statement subject to the definition of "near" future. At my present age I don't expect to see that.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jlg1000 wrote:

Agreed... but where is the red line?

Sky swapping == OK, sky imagine == not OK ??

Greening the grass with "advanced color" (CO1) == OK, grass imagine == not OK ??

Who could tell anyway?

An image...
Could be created by:
A camera
editor manipulation
water colors
oils/acrylics
pastels
AI
...

I have seen water color work so good that one would swear it was a photograph!
Then, there are people who make a photograph look like an oil painting.
Image recording v. image [/creation[/i].
Everyone has their definition (or opinions), and requirements to meet their definition (or not).
One can look at an image and appreciate it, or one can get into the minute details of how (with what) it was created. And there are people who have to know in what manner it was created, and with what tools.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

NCMtnMan wrote:

That would appear to be CGI, not photography since it wasn't captured by a camera.

I don't believe photography must be captured by a camera. Photograms have been considered photographs. The defining characteristic of photography is that it is a image created as a result of the action of light on a light sensitive material.

alexol

The definition of photography is surely shifting considerably, and I see little difference between an artificially created CGI image and some Photoshop work.

Changing the sky is, to my mind and IMHO, not "real" photography as I originally understood.

Do I change out skies etc? Sure, but I can't say to anyone, here's my vacation shot of ______ , what a wonderful sunset.

It's just a question of degree, and we started down the slope a long time ago. But we aren't happy when the slope steepens beyond our perceived comfort level.

Even the venerable Ansel Adams generated his images through what can be arguably called artificial means - darkroom manipulations, dodging, burning etc., until the image said what he wanted it to say, not necessarily what the scene actually looked like.

Protective flame suit now on!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

alexol wrote:

The definition of photography is surely shifting c... (show quote)

One of the first forms of photo manipulation shortly after photography was invented was replacing skies in the darkroom, because the orthochromatic films of the day resulted in washed out skies. How can something which has been done from the very start of photography not be "real" photography?