Life on the Veldt and the Victorian Lady Gets a Parrot

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

Sir Walter Scott, 1808

We keep hearing how AI can create some rather disturbing images, much like the removal of people from days of yore to create propaganda or beauty, such as in a fashion spread. Above is a sad day, below is a lucky lady who got a gift from the friendly, neighborhood pirate.

You can see the originals below, before doctoring.

What is truth? What is a lie?

Lies

Wish You Were Here 2

There is the purist in me that says a photograph should never be changed from what the camera took. To change it means I cannot take a picture in the first place.

Another part of me that realizes there is such creative potential in photography – especially digital photography. And, in some situations, it is the only thing that makes a dismal photo worth looking at. For me, color and contrast are always attractive. Together, both change mood, season, emotion, focal points.

Wish You Were Here

Today, I went out to the local botanical garden around noon. There was not the least bit of interesting light, only shadows. I wanted to see what a new lens could do, and was too lazy to get out when the light is particularly nice (meaning get dressed and out the door before 7 a.m.!). The intention was to see how well the V1 does creating panoramic pictures on manual focus – important to learn as the camera is highly automated. A couple came out okay, but they were truly boring to the eye. So, color manipulation and such – the art of post processing.

Creativity or lying?