AI-Powered Creativity - Enhancing Photography Beyond Conventional Borders
Image of a flower surrounded by AI-generated artifacts.
The advent of artificial intelligence has revolutionized the landscape of image editing. Gone are the days of laborious manual adjustments. Now, AI-powered tools offer photographers an unparalleled level of precision, efficiency, and creative freedom. From seamlessly removing imperfections to enhancing colors and even generating entirely new visual effects, AI algorithms have become indispensable companions for both amateurs and professionals alike in their quest to bring out the best in their photographs.
Today, it seems every manufacturer is jumping on the AI bandwagon and pushing the product to every corner of one’s respective market. We are seeing it in Samsung and Apple ads for cell phones, and photographers are bombarded with advertisements from every photo editing software company imaginable. Each boasts the ability to enhance your images like never before with AI. But what can this new tech do for us as consumers and professionals?
Adobe Photoshop Generative Exapand & Generative Fill
Embedding advanced AI directly into its renowned image editing software, Adobe Photoshop has democratized powerful tools for millions of users worldwide. Leveraging Firefly, Adobe's AI image generation technology, Photoshop introduces innovative features like Generative Expand and Generative Fill.
Generative Expand facilitates the effortless addition of imagined elements beyond the confines of a photograph. At the same time, Generative Fill enables users to seamlessly insert or remove objects within an image by inputting straightforward text commands. According to Ashley Still, Adobe's senior vice president of digital media, these intuitive options eliminate the need for specialized technical skills, and these enhancements empower users to realize their creative visions quickly and easily.
So, how does this technology work? At least regarding Adobe, AI algorithms analyze the selected portions of the image and then the surrounding pixels. Based on what the end user asks the program to do, it will determine how to best replace those pixels and possibly the pixels around the selection.
The results can range from stunning to unrealistic and everything in between. At times, the AI appears to do a decent job mimicking the surrounding pixels, while at other times, the result may appear cartoonish.
Embedding advanced AI directly into its renowned image editing software, Adobe Photoshop has democratized powerful tools for millions of users worldwide. Firefly, Adobe's AI image generation technology, Photoshop introduces innovative features like Generative Expand and Generative Fill. Generative Expand facilitates the effortless addition of imagined elements beyond the confines of a photograph. At the same time, Generative Fill enables users to seamlessly insert or remove objects within an image by inputting straightforward text commands. According to Ashley Still, Adobe's senior vice president of digital media, these intuitive options eliminate the need for specialized technical skills, and these enhancements empower users to realize their creative visions quickly and easily.
using Expand and Fill to Create A Sky Replacement
Generative Exapand is used to delete artifacts above and below the horizon and extend the area below the sun
Using Generative Expand to Add to the Image
Pros of Using Adobe’s AI
Does this new tech have a practical application for professional photographers? Absolutely! Keep in mind that it is not an end-all solution, and the technology might not be ideal for every situation. But there are areas where the program seems to excel and significantly shorten production time. Examples can be:
Touching up the ends of hair after cutting out a subject.
Use the expand feature to extend the edges of a replacement sky image.
Quickly delete unwanted artifacts.
Delete an artifact surrounding another complex artifact (e.g., a person behind a chain link fence).
Minor skin retouching.
Adding small items to an image that are not the center of focus.
Deleting and replacing items such as harsh shadows.
Using Generative Fill to remove foreground objects and reduce harsh shadows
Cons of Using Adobe’s AI
However, the downsides tend to be more common when using Adobe’s AI due to the limited technology it uses to teach its AI programs. Some of these can include:
Making images look fake.
Added items may look cartoonish or lack realism.
The AI may incorrectly interpret what you want it to do.
Blending objects may not be seamless.
Sharpness values between new items vs. the original image may not match.
Once an item is placed, moving it to a new area is nearly impossible. While it can be done, it is a painstaking task.
Introducing innovative features such as Generative Fill and Generative Expand marks a significant leap forward in photography, offering photographers new avenues for creativity and realizing their artistic visions. These tools empower users to craft visually stunning images with unprecedented ease and precision. However, it's crucial to understand that while AI-driven enhancements are invaluable, they can never replace a proficient photographer's nuanced skills and artistic sensibilities. Ultimately, the unique perspective, creativity, and expertise of the individual behind the lens imbue photographs with true depth and meaning, ensuring that photography remains as much a craft as a technological pursuit.
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