MONTHLY CHALLENGES
Current and past Challenge images can be seen at Amersham Beyond Group on Flickr.
For APS Members only, the images are also available for viewing and commenting on Facebook here.
The current Challenges are;
#43 OIL & WATER
#44 BLENDING MODES
… and the latest Challenge;
#45 PINK FLOYD ALBUM COVER
Original Pink Floyd album covers were imaginative and random (see last month’s notes) and our group really embraced this vibe with many excellent ‘Floydian’ images. Existing song or album titles were re-imagined or new ones invented. Members who were not familiar with Pink Floyd apparently enjoyed researching the back catalogue of art and music.
NB There has been an animation competition over recent months to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon. The winner for each song on the album is on YouTube. Just search for Pink Floyd 50th Anniversary Animation Competition Winner’s Video for some amazing animations set to each track. There were over 900 submissions. Each winner also has a ‘behind the scenes’ video which is very revealing of the techniques used.
The next Challenge will be;
#46 NATURE AS ABSTRACT ART
The Challenge is to create an abstract image entirely from natural subject matter. The subject can be completely abstract or identifiable but include no people or man-made objects.
It may utilise a single sharp exposure, or impressionistic processes such as camera movement , blur, long or multiple exposure etc. It may be post-processed or made entirely in-camera.
AI tools such as generative fill may be used freely but if the base image has been entirely originated in AI we will show this as an AI image separately in the Beyond Us section of the meeting.
There are many examples available in image searches online and you may enjoy these well-known exponents of the art suggested by Laurie and Maggie (some of these images will not qualify where they have man-made content);
Valda Bailey
Hugh Milsom
Chris Friel (although his recent work has become very sombre)
Shona Perkins
and
Stephanie Johnson
I consider this Challenge to be quite mainstream in terms of traditional photographic society material and so we might hope for some competitive success with it, for a change!
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Members have been experimenting with text-based AI image generation for a year or so. Whilst this has generated both stunning and ridiculous images, it can’t be denied that it is improving rapidly and will become increasingly irresistible. A couple of members are already feeling that they will find it hard to beat the best AI. Contrary to this, others are optimistic that it will be a source of novel ideas to pursue with traditional methods and one is using AI to suggest good image titles that they would otherwise struggle with.
The process of repeatedly iterating an AI image by refiningthe text string can steer the software in the required direction and this is becoming an art in itself. However, the same words will produce a different result every time so it is unpredictable. Furthermore, we can’t claim copyright or authorship.
We can’t hide our heads in the sand and hope it will go away so in the Beyond Group we are currently pursuing a policy of showing images that are AI in origin in a separate category and not alongside our own images. They must be declared as AI for us to do this. Common AI tools being used include, Chat GPT / Bing AI, Adobe Firefly and Midjourney.
I consider AI-based tools such as Adobe’s Generative Fill and Generative Expand to be the natural progression of Content Aware Fill etc and these are acceptable so long as they do not generate a majority of the image or the central subject. Indeed, in just a few months I have found them to be a key part of my workflow and are saving me hours of painful processing.
At the moment, software that compensates for shortcomings in digital capture (eg sensor noise) and in lenses (eg optical distortion, abberations and diffraction) are built into our cameras and phones and cannot be altered. However a generation of AI tools are coming that will enable us to post-process flawed images under our own control and I look forward to this. I want to be able to make a top-quality print, in low light, from my iPhone. My experience of this so far has been disappointing but it will improve. Quality is already excellent in good light.
BACK OF BEYOND DIARIES
Audio Visuals. Over the years I have found AVs to be a lovely way to show images with music and they can be quick to produce, given familiarity with the software. For this meeting I produced three, to show Pink Floyd and Nature as Abstract Art images, in a few hours.
Audio-Visual software has come and gone over 30 years but the original software that invented the genre is still available and still as good as ever: Originally called PicturesToExe it is now called PicturesToExe AV Studio (PTE AV Studio) and costs £63 (Win) for an unlimited licence and point-release updates. There is a Pro version for £129 which adds features that we are unlikely to need as photographers, however it is the only version for the Mac.
PTE can handle simple audio and video editing but for more sophisticated needs I rely on Audacity (£0 Win/Mac) and OpenShot (£0 Win/Mac).
NEXT MEETING
It's been a great season. There was a bit of a dip in numbers earlier this year but we have finished on a high. It's been rewarding to overhear enthusiastic conversations about the Challenges. The word 'fun' can be over-used but members genuinely seem to be enjoying them. Nevertheless feedback is always welcome.
Some of our work will be featured at the APS Exhibition in August and then we start all over again in September with the first Beyond Group meeting on Thursday 3rd October (travel plans permitting).
Cheers, Steve