rip the band aid off
AI, either in writing, or used for image development or image manipulation, shouldn’t be feared
may 2020 riots: protester placing a CS gas grenade into a secure container for disposal
People were on the war path about Instagram’s algorithm. The newer app, VERO, came along, and people flocked. Then, slowly, they came back. From a photographer point of view, there exist little in the way of loyalty, to anyone thing except that which is found to be easy or appealing. Or, that which is easy to fear and complain about. With ChatGTP now breaking the surface into becoming somewhat usable, and Google’s Bard lined up next, the uproar is one that AI will destroy story telling and destroy photography. We get what we click, and that there is the truth of things. Listen to the song John Henry, look up type setters, think about fixing photos in photoshop.. We evolve, and we do so by choice. It’s just gonna happen faster. As more and more people gain access to technology, the manual skills required to do task will simplify and diminish. It makes things more accessible to the masses. That will intern drive variation, mass production and innovation. And, something will be lost along the way.
We would have never known about Vivian Maier, were it not for Flickr. That celebration lasted only so long. Now, both have become a bit of background noise.
But at least we had a chance to know her, or at least her work. Under the old rules, she wouldn’t have been picked up by the system in place. That system now struggles to remain relevant in the face of Social Media, online platforms and the like. Ms. Maier had a time to become known, and most of us are better for knowing. What will AI make known? What will it enable? Who is hidden, nearly forgotten, that some twist of a suggestion to ChatGTP will make known? Probably, far more than it will bury. But it will change things.
Never learned photoshop, lightroom, ect. First, the learning curve. Then, the sales of presets. Didn’t even try. Grabbed prime lenses and went out the door.
Of course, over the past few years, some of my friends tell me I should do some minor editing. Which is code for I should do some editing. Because some of my photos suck, but only marginally so. The barriers to entry were incredible. 300 dollar software. Then subscriptions, making it more reasonable. Then the learning curve of adopting one program, learning how it operates. Out of the wood work came the “Those that can’t, coach”, thus, 3 million youtubers showing how to make.. blah blah blah. The barrier to entry was cut down, slowly by simpler, more intuitive software. That software became cheap. It then became something that was embedded in your phone. When I’m able to ask something or tell something “lighten the shadow on the top right” or you know, something like that, perhaps I will edit a photo. Maybe not. But, it’s not something to fear. We’re not at a the point where a robot heads out the door to do street photography.