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Talia Barnes's avatar

I’ve been interested in the relationship between photography and AI generated images for a while. They have some superficial similarities, and I’ve been trying to pinpoint why the process of taking photographs doesn’t bother me nearly as much as that of prompt engineering. You point to something important by observing that in some ways the process of photography is the inverse of that of generating an image: taking a photograph requires being in a particular place at a particular time and the result is something hyperspecific; a person can generate an AI image from anywhere and its results are less intentional/more unpredictable/in some ways more vague because they’re pulled from a repository of past images. I think you’re right that algorithmic images are “poised to drain the image-world itself of much of the very meaning which has always moved human beings to create images in the first place” and hope you’re wrong about “without restoring to reality any of its original dignity or status.” I think there’s a real possibility that the image world becomes SO distant from meaning that reality (and/or more intentionally curated online spaces) becomes newly enticing as the PRIMARY space to seek meaning. Very thoughtful piece! Really enjoyed reading it and will definitely return to some of these ideas.

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