Why Artificial Intelligence, known as AI, IS NOT Photography

 

        MANIPULATED PHOTO                              EDITED PHOTO

As promised, or maybe threatened, here is my take on AI in the photographic world. Turning this over in my little brain for a long time, I’ve come to the conclusion that photography is taking a picture with a camera. Edited photography is using software like Photoshop to fix color balance, sharpening, exposure, basic things like that which were time consuming or almost impossible to do in the darkroom during the days of film. Manipulated photography means that the image has been altered in a dramatic way such as adding or removing elements including backgrounds, layers, major color shifts, filters, etc.  Most of my work is manipulated photography.

Creating images with Artificial Intelligence is not photography. AI is typing in commands and creating a representation of those commands. I took a class on AI from Maggie Taylor. I know how to do it. It’s not my jam as of now. That does not mean it’s not art. It means it’s not photography. And people need to stop referring to it as such.

Not to mention the fact that 99% of the AI programs pull the information used to fabricate the pieces of the images from the internet. This means the programs are stealing from other artists who originated the work. AI design cannot be copyrighted. That is the reason.

 

So why are PHOTOGRAPHY contests awarding first place to AI images? This is when I know the contest is only about the money. AI should have its own separate category, just like painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, etc.

There were several contests, one of which was camera maker Sony, who made what I consider to be grievous: “Sony World Photography Award 2023: Winner refuses award after revealing AI creation.” You can read the article here https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65296763  This is why you should have a panel of judges, rather than just one judge, awarding a $25,000 (USD) cash prize, gifting a range of Sony digital imaging equipment, and providing the artist with global online coverage. 

Of course, a panel doesn’t guarantee a good result. Last year, I entered FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, and received honorable mentions in several categories. For that, I am thankful because even that small honor is a huge honor to me. However, the winning series was revealed to be AI, and it was bad AI at that. Missing fingers, odd lights in the irises, poorly composited sections of hair. People were coming down hard on the artist on social media. I felt a bit bad for her because, hey, you can’t blame a girl for trying. She entered a contest that did not state “no AI.” The error was on the part of the 14 judges—14 judges! —and the contest organizer. I defended her by using these points because people are so cruel.

You can see the images, here https://fineartphotoawards.com/winners-gallery/fapa-2022-2023/professional/grand-prize

-Note missing finger on Black woman in group of 5 underwater
-Notice hairline on single person portrait

These are just 2 of the glaring errors I saw immediately, without even knowing the backstory. Someone said none of these women have albinism. I’m not sure if that matters for the contest, but even if each person is real, the compositing is atrocious. Lovely concept poorly executed.

I was sure after all the negativity that the contest would clean up its act. So, when I read the rules before I entered this year, I saw there was no mention of AI or a separate category for it. I emailed them asking about it and they did not answer. That tells me they don’t care and just want entrance fees from as many people as possible.

Reading Sony’s contest rules, I don’t see any mention of AI, either.

If I edit a photo past the basic exposure and color balance type things, I refer to it as manipulated photography. I state this when I enter a contest or submit for an exhibition. I imagine most of the public doesn’t care. But I think now I will try to mention the methodology on my posts since I am making a big deal about this.

You won’t be seeing any AI from me in the near future. For me, typing commands does not satisfy my creative cravings although I must admit that many of the images made by true experts are stunning. But at what cost to the original artists?

#photographybusiness #photography #ai #notai #photographycontests #manipulatedphotography #photographyvsai