On my recent trip I met John and the monthly birding group that visits Theler Wetlands on the Second and Fourth Thursday of every month. The photographers in the group were all trying to capture shots of the seldom seen Crossbill. Naturally I joined in, but was generally frustrated because the birds were too close for my camera to focus or I had so many branches between me and the bird that my camera wouldn’t focus on the Crossbill.
This is the best shot I could manage out of twelve photos taken, and it’s one I would normally just trash, certainly not post.
While I was trying to polish the photo and make it as presentable as possible I remembered a Adobe promotion I’d gotten recently and wondered what kind of picture of a Crossbill I could get using their AI.
The first images I generated were pretty cartoonish,
but after several iterations and a more detailed description I got this picture,
and I’ll have to admit that it’s a better shot than I’ve ever gotten of a Crossbill.
And it took less time to generate than I spent trying to improve the photo that I took.
Which leaves me with the question of why should I carry a heavy camera around when all I have to do is make a list of the birds I see on a walk and then use AI to generate them.
Heck, why walk at all when all I have to do is imagine what birds I would see if I went on a walk and then generate them in Photoshop ?
Would a reader know the difference or would they just think I was a fabulous photographer?
Luckily, I know my body would feel the difference, and I am too stuck in my ruts to give up birding. Getting out in nature is both physical exercise and a form of meditation that I can never get from my computer or iPhone.
Perhaps I should end this with a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh:” “When you walk, if you enjoy every step, if every step nourishes and transforms you, then every step is a prayer.”
AI is an awful development. Not only does it take away from enjoying real artists and photographers, it also uses a lot more energy and contributes to climate change because of that (as does crypto).
Yes, that bird looks perfect. But the real-life bird is obviously more real. I have not yet seen a bird in the wild that looks the way it’s supposed to, LOL! You keep taking your photographs, Loren. They are much appreciated!
Yikes. I’m with you on this one. I far prefer real time in nature with my mediocre photos of birds than the fake ones that AI dreams up. And your photos I love!