Lens on AI: The Controversial Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Photography

AI is inevitable

A couple of years ago, hardly anyone spoke of artificial intelligence. Today, all we read, hear, and speak about is artificial intelligence. It seems as if AI suddenly sprang out of nowhere and pounced on us from all sides. That is untrue, of course; AI has been under development for many years, but recent technological advances have made it the dominant focus of all conversations. And also with good reason.

The best chess player in the world will always lose to the AI. Expert AI systems can forecast the weather more accurately than any human meteorologist. The AI is already more accurate than any seasoned physician at making health diagnoses. The majority of automated administrative duties are performed by AI more effectively than the conventional, human method. It's impossible to discuss AI without being concerned about the future of the topic and our place in it. We require strong tools that enable us to complete the task more quickly, effectively, precisely, and affordably. After all, industrialization is what made humankind's unparalleled advancement possible over the previous 250 years. However, we are getting to the point where the AI will soon no longer act as our sidekick or assistant.

Right now, getting replaced is a hot topic. Are this civilization and the entire global economic system prepared to hand over the controls to the AI while we... What precisely is our place and function in the AI-run society? I’d love to hear a concise explanation which makes sense. I have not found one yet. Automation with the aid of AI - that’s one thing. Replacing humans with the same technology. Now that is a completely different matter.

I'm a creative. I can't worry about AI assuming global dominance. It exceeds the scope of my concerns. However, I have some questions for my artistic peers who believe that the AI-generated art “belongs” to them because it popped up on their screens after typing a sentence full of colourful verbs and adjectives, The soulless machine, the robot which was programmed to run a code based on creations of millions of human artists found online was most definitely NOT "bent to their will." It merely ran an executable software code. You just pressed the ENTER button.

I get it; It is inevitable that AI will arrive and stay because people love to find shortcuts in life. Sadly, this also applies to art. But we better be careful about this. My suggestion is that we design the AI in way it will work with us and for us, not than instead of us. The moment we stop inventing, producing, creating, is the moment we become extinct. We should never stop to be curious. The ability to produce art in all shapes and forms from music, poetry to paintings and sculptures is easily the most defining and important human trait. If we lose our gift to create art, we will lose everything that makes us human. It may not even matter if we wake up one day and find ourselves bent to the will of the AI.

Please read my friend Rob Wilson's outstanding article published in the Frames Magazine on the subject, titled LOOK CLOSER: “AI – Machines Rising to which he invited me to add my opinions.

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Countdown to the New Year: Capturing Dubai's Magic in Time-Lapse

one camera, one balcony

New Year’s eve at THE WALK at JBR in Dubai in 90 seconds

for someone like me…

…nothing compares to the thrill of making a time-lapse video. It is genuinely magical and a trick that never fails to impress is the ability to condense hours or even days of action into a few brief seconds.

I got the chance to capture a time-lapse video on New Year's Eve from the balcony of a private flat at the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. The location was ideal, offering a breathtaking view of "The Walk" at JBR, "Ain Dubai" — the largest ferris wheel in the world — on Bluewaters Island, Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal, and the always spectacular The Palm, with the two Atlantis hotels in the distance. At night, the whole scene looks like a giant, shiny treasure trove full of gold!

To capture a variety of focal lengths and viewpoints, I decided to take the Fujifilm GFX50s camera along with the GF 20-35, GF 32-64, and GF 45-100 lenses. The RRS's Multi-Clamp was used to secure the camera to the balcony's balustrade (amazing piece of gear btw). The RRS Modular L-Plate was attached to the camera, and it was mounted on top of the lightweight yet sturdy RRS BH-30 ballhead. I wanted a quick and simple procedure with little editing, so I decided to shoot in JPEG mode with the GFX’s built-in "Provia" film simulation. I simply wasn't in the mood to fiddle around with RAW files.

The actual shoot lasted for almost 2.5 hours, with the camera set to take a picture every 2 to 5 seconds. Because of this, I was able to record a variety of motion and activity as the evening progressed towards the midnight, and the masses of people below celebrated the beginning of the new year. Fireworks were great, but it was the drone show that I found particularly engaging.

I spent a day editing the finished time-lapse video after the shoot. As usual, I edited the film in Adobe Premiere. I changed the flow and speed of certain shots to produce the mood I was looking for.

Overall, the process of filming and producing this time-lapse video was enjoyable and painless. Provia film simulation produced warm, rich tones that enhanced the luxurious skyline of Dubai's golden cityscape. Seeing the finished product and knowing that I was able to record such a cool moment in time always gives me a rush. And that was my New Year's Eve time-lapse movie-making experience at the Jumeirah Beach Residence.

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