AI photography / promptography

A new form of image creation in art

AI photography or promptography is a new form of image creation in art. In a world where technology is constantly evolving, artificial intelligence (AI) is taking on an increasingly important role within various fields. Including the world of contemporary art. AI photography and promptography are terms that are popping up more and more frequently and sound promising for professional artists and hobbyists alike. But what exactly does it entail? In this article, we dive deeper into the concept of AI in art, how it works and how it will affect the future of image creation.

How Does It Work?

In promptography, the creative process involves “taking pictures” by giving prompts, instructions, to an AI program. Without a camera involved. There are several programs such as Dall-E and Midjourney, where the creative process lies in inventing increasingly sophisticated linguistic “prompts” after which images appear. So actually a practitioner is not a photographer but a prompter – an image tamer. The result of promptography could be called a prompto. Just as a photograph is the result of photography.

The future

AI is already being used to improve photo quality and accuracy. Deep learning algorithms allow AI tools to automatically detect unwanted artifacts. Identify and remove noise that can detract from the quality of images. But is photography threatened by AI? Some photographers worry that relying on AI algorithms for tasks such as editing or retouching could cause them to lose their personal touch and style.

In recent months, AI has become one of the most discussed topics. German artist and photographer Boris Eldagsen won a Sony World Photography Award in the Creative, Open Competition category in March 2023. He had the image generated by AI. The judges had not noticed that his entry was created exclusively using the AI program Midjourney. Eldagsen indicated it was not photography and refused his award. It became a media spectacle. Eldagsen is a photomedia artist, active in Berlin. On his website, he reveals that he sent in the AI image on purpose because he is concerned about the rise of artificial intelligence, and wants to open up the conversation about it.

The discussion

Many creatives, not just photographers, say AI will destroy professional photography. But compare AI to what Photoshop did in the 1990s. With the advent of Photoshop, many photographers began to complain that it was no longer about taking the picture. But Photoshop opened new opportunities for millions of creators who use the software to their advantage. Many digital artists combine photography and Photoshop to produce their unique works of art that would not be possible without the software.

Thanks to developments in generative artificial intelligence, completely new images can now be created. These can compete with traditionally taken photographs. AI offers unprecedented opportunities for artistic expression but also raises debates. After all, it will always be a mix of what already exists. But inspiration is not fixed in humans either. Making entirely new creations also often comes from what one has already seen somewhere, consciously or unconsciously.

AI at Sille Gallery

One of the artists at Sille Gallery who has recently started working with this technique to create art is photographer Barend Houtsmuller. In the upcoming Spring 2024 exhibition, we will see work by him that includes AI. Sometimes entirely promptography and sometimes with a mix of proprietary photography.