AI
JUNE 6, 2024
A recent story about a new campaign at DOVE and AI made me realize that I need to clarify some things here on my blog and website about my photography and editing.
The vast majority of my images were processed without AI. The software I am using is pre-AI adjustment modes. The access I had to it to use for processing was through Adobe Photoshop which I used to rent monthly.
I used the replace sky mode for images of trees and in the desert for long views of the desert and mountains. It did a very good job, and you could use the same mode for a series of images. The software would change and adjust each picture so that it was not a clone of the one you processed previously. It did a very good job, and I am pleased with the output. It added a realistic sky to some images that were impossible to correct the sky blowout or near blowout.
Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was most likely king of Dodge and Burn, a favorite Photoshop technique. Only he perfected it in a darkroom and a microwave.
People have sought ways to edit their photography work since the first camera was built or the first negatives were printed on banana leaves. It's just how it is. The notion that unless it comes out of the camera and is totally untouched you are less skillful is wrong.
In face of the magnitude of images that are projected to be created by AI software I thought it best to add "AI" to my keywords on the images that I have created with it. Then I went one better and just made a specific gallery for it.
In searching through my galleries for the images to move to it I came across many images of mine that are, on their own, very atmospheric. So, I have added a Kanji gallery called "Kuuki".
"Kuuki" (空気) is a Japanese word that means "air" or "atmosphere". The word is composed of two kanji characters: "kuu" (空) which means "sky" or "void" and "ki" (æ°—) which means "spirit" or "energy". The combination of the two kanji represents the idea of "energy of the sky" or "spirit of the void". The word is often used in expressions such as "kuuki wo yomu" (空気をèªã‚€) which means "read the atmosphere" or "read the mood" and refers to the ability to understand the emotions and intentions of people in a social environment. The word is also used in contexts related to air quality, such as "kuuki seijouki" (空気清浄機) which means "air purifier".
I am watching Alchemy of Souls for the second time, and I am amazed at a culture, tucked within another culture, that acknowledges the effect of the elements and atmospheres on our human bodies and minds.
The slide show above is for AI images and below are the Kuuki images.
