Random Thoughts On AI-Generated Images

I've been exploring MidJourney over the past few days, and generating AI images that I conjure up as I go along. I've also read a few explanatory articles and viewed images made by well established AI "artists" on its chat room-like interface. I've learned to generate variations of the same image, and how to upscale them from 1024 to 2048 pixels...which are too low of a resolution to make a reasonable print.

Opinions from photographers about Ai generated images vary widely...ranging from those who fear it and describe it as a threat to their livelihood/occupation to those who fully embrace it/or try to by saying it's a new artistic path. There's also a camp that argue against it because it plagiarizes the work of other photographers or image-makers, although AI bases its output on millions of algorithms and variations.

I'm more inclined to embrace it, not as a replacement to my own photography, but as a separate artistic endeavor, and not necessarily on parallel tracks to photography. So far, the images I've generated by inputting unremarkable text prompt are certainly striking but are not as realistic as genuine photographs.

Nonetheless, the costumes worn by my imaginary characters are truly remarkable in their details and color shades. In contrast though, the facial renderings seem somewhat artificial or "plasticky", although I've seen photographs so over-processed by editing software that they closely resemble these AI-generated images.

There's no chance that AI will replace photography, but I believe it will certainly make a dent in its commercial applications. Photojournalism, event photography, wedding photography, and even travel photography will remain "real"...but commercial photography (and potentially, fashion photography) will certainly be affected.

In the meantime, I intend to dabble in Ai-Generated imagery, have fun with it but continue with my photography.