The difference between a photograph and an AI-generated image

The proposed definition leaves open the question of what photographic techniques are. Further on in the article, it is stated that a camera must be involved; that already gives much more guidance. Going even further back to the basics would be to state that the base material must be captured with light. Could that put an end to all uncertainty and be usable in regulations for photography competitions?

mousquito wrote on Tuesday 16 May 2023 at 11:23  | reply

Recently I read an article about it in NGC magazine and purely by luck I had identified the right photo as being generated by AI. The photo gave me the wrong impression and that was why I had identified it, but the development of AI is not standing still either and so this too will be improved. So gut feeling is not always correct. I think the definition of a photo is quite clear if you break down the word photography. PHOTOS and GRAPHOS, or writing with light, and AI does not do that. but then I want to take the discussion further, what if I take a photo and have it edited by AI, is it still a photo or not? after all, you start with a photo, where do you draw the line? If I press auto in LR for adjusting colour and light then this is also a kind of AI behind it. This is simply editing a photo, not manipulation yet, but this too can be AI.... is it still a photo?

Agree with you Tim.
Photo shooting regards Robert

A photographic image, and certainly a digital one, zis the result of a camera with an attached lens. That camera produces a raw(RAW) image . So a lot of software is involved. In the past, this was done with colors that were recorded using chemicals. AI can help you improve your images, but an image produced with AI is therefore not a photo, it can also become a "painting "or an image of concrete..

'If a camera was involved in creating an image, then it is a photo' completely agree but I do have to add that this should be in the first degree (or basically minus 1 self-made photo), because AI is also based on (among other things) photographic material. What I do also think is that you should be honest about it, not claim that a photo hasn't been tampered with when the sky has been replaced and also not pass off an AI for photo/reality. I already use AI for backgrounds and composites, that's what it's perfect for (well, if you can get it to produce exactly what you meant then) and honestly it's fun to play with but it also has a dark side (although it's still the human who misuses it then ...)

I just saw that the major stock photo provider Shutterstock is now also offering AI-generated content... They obviously sense trouble too, if 'the perfect photo for your project' can be generated within 15 seconds, instead of having to sift through 800 photos.. I find it impressive what is already possible now.

MacBigfoot wrote on Friday 2 June 2023 at 22:01  | reply

I am a hobby photographer. For me, the pleasure of working with a camera and post-processing in Lightroom (aka the former darkroom) comes first.

The moment value judgments are made about images (!), especially when there is comparison with other images, there is always discussion about the limits of what is permissible. That has always been the case in art and that will never change, fortunately, otherwise art would never be able to develop further.

Any self-respecting competition will therefore have to continuously adapt its rules to what is considered permissible. Just as there were photo competitions before AI in which manipulating photos was not allowed, with the arrival of AI a line will now also be drawn somewhere. Where that line lies is determined by the jury.

So I don't think making the distinction is important, an AI image can also be very beautiful in itself. I can sometimes find it uninteresting myself to know whether it was made with AI, in the end it is about what the creator wants to convey with it, and whether that fits within the established parameters.

(And hey, current generations of image editing software also use AI, is that allowed then? Pretty handy, such an AI that masks the subject perfectly for you, …)