Beautiful images Erik. I love the shots with the flowers in the foreground, they are the sort of shots I love creating and will often seek out similar compositions.
I too have wondered about the authenticity of my images - it is something I have written about in the past. I try to photograph what a wild space feels like to me so I make sure I omit any people or litter or sometimes any evidence of man when it might be standing right next to me. Maybe all our images are lies in some way? We can never tell the full story because we are always omitting something.
I think all our images are the product of our unique voices - I don't think we are liars as such we are just reacting to the things that are important to us and the message we want to share. I could spend my time documenting the destruction of the countryside through the building of housing estates and industrial areas ( and there is so much of that going on here) but instead I choose to celebrate the beauty and the wonder of the natural world in the hope that more people will seek it out. I suspect you probably do the same. 🙂
A great article Erik and one that resonated with me.
Thanks Gill! I do agree with you that we all have our unique voice and that comes about in what we choose to focus on and include or exclude in our compositions. I suppose I chose the word ‘lie’ as a thought provoking jab to highlight these facts of selection and sometimes manipulation.
I didn’t write about it here, but I wonder where the line is? Photo editing is a manipulation. What of all of these new AI photo editing tools? I’m rambling now, but there is a lot to consider in this.
I’m always grateful for your input! Thanks again Gill!
“Such transitional times call for attentiveness. Now, in this brief period, the apex of summer’s vibrant maturation collides with a time of winnowing- a time of culling and cutting losses.”
So very well said, Erik! 👏 We are in one of those hinge times of history that portend, well, we shall see. Shakes us out of our dull path through the same old same old, for sure.
There are some lies that willing accept. The ones you’re feeding me fall into that. Making reality more vivid and beautiful than it already is. Not too shabby for something you threw together after our podcast!
The seeds were already there! It just had to be fleshed out. Still, I think I only scratched the surface here. I used ‘lies’ to draw attention to how things are selectively presented. But where is the line between art and lies? Between what is included in the frame of an image and AI enhancement of the image?
I think photography is an art form. Yes, you're capturing nature and you're also enhancing it by adding a leaf or two...I would say that makes you an artist, not a liar. Maybe it's like when people write memoirs (myself included, even with things like the Trail Logs) when everything they write is true, AND they might also be embellishing dialogue they dont fully remember, or manipulating the time frame of the story so it adds more tension...not inherently dishonest, but telling a good story and enhancing their art and their craft.
I agree with you wholeheartedly! I chose the word ‘lie’ to be a bit deliberately provocative. I wanted to call attention to the selective nature of what we show in photos and writing. I should’ve taken the idea further. I was thinking of how the lines are kinda blurry at times. Art vs lie. What is the line between me manipulating a scene with an extra leaf vs enhancing a photo using AI? Lots to ponder.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I always find them valuable!
There's a topic idea for your next essay then - blurry lines between art and lie, between art and AI! Also I think you using your own mind (to come up with the idea to add a leaf, rather than tell AI to do it) , choosing the leaves and their placement, and also being there to do it all physically....is leaps and bounds better than using AI to enhance your shots...just my two cents..!
All photography (and any other visual arts) requires choices on what is included in the frame and what is excluded. These are choices in service of the story we want to tell. This can be difficult at the liminal space between nature and human - but you choose to focus on the natural elements of the park and this is the story you tell. Lovely images Erik.
I like the perspective of choosing the story we tell. But is there a line between the authentic and the manufactured? Maybe it’s a gray zone, different for everyone?
Beautiful images Erik. I love the shots with the flowers in the foreground, they are the sort of shots I love creating and will often seek out similar compositions.
I too have wondered about the authenticity of my images - it is something I have written about in the past. I try to photograph what a wild space feels like to me so I make sure I omit any people or litter or sometimes any evidence of man when it might be standing right next to me. Maybe all our images are lies in some way? We can never tell the full story because we are always omitting something.
I think all our images are the product of our unique voices - I don't think we are liars as such we are just reacting to the things that are important to us and the message we want to share. I could spend my time documenting the destruction of the countryside through the building of housing estates and industrial areas ( and there is so much of that going on here) but instead I choose to celebrate the beauty and the wonder of the natural world in the hope that more people will seek it out. I suspect you probably do the same. 🙂
A great article Erik and one that resonated with me.
Thanks Gill! I do agree with you that we all have our unique voice and that comes about in what we choose to focus on and include or exclude in our compositions. I suppose I chose the word ‘lie’ as a thought provoking jab to highlight these facts of selection and sometimes manipulation.
I didn’t write about it here, but I wonder where the line is? Photo editing is a manipulation. What of all of these new AI photo editing tools? I’m rambling now, but there is a lot to consider in this.
I’m always grateful for your input! Thanks again Gill!
Great, big questions!
Tip of the iceberg! Thanks Lou!
Wonderful work as always Erik. That cow was thinking deep thoughts.
Haha! We were both curious that morning! Thank you Matthew!
“Such transitional times call for attentiveness. Now, in this brief period, the apex of summer’s vibrant maturation collides with a time of winnowing- a time of culling and cutting losses.”
So very well said, Erik! 👏 We are in one of those hinge times of history that portend, well, we shall see. Shakes us out of our dull path through the same old same old, for sure.
You bring up a great point! It’s a seasonal transition time right now, but I see a big shift for humanity on the horizon as well. Thanks Baird!
There are some lies that willing accept. The ones you’re feeding me fall into that. Making reality more vivid and beautiful than it already is. Not too shabby for something you threw together after our podcast!
The seeds were already there! It just had to be fleshed out. Still, I think I only scratched the surface here. I used ‘lies’ to draw attention to how things are selectively presented. But where is the line between art and lies? Between what is included in the frame of an image and AI enhancement of the image?
I think photography is an art form. Yes, you're capturing nature and you're also enhancing it by adding a leaf or two...I would say that makes you an artist, not a liar. Maybe it's like when people write memoirs (myself included, even with things like the Trail Logs) when everything they write is true, AND they might also be embellishing dialogue they dont fully remember, or manipulating the time frame of the story so it adds more tension...not inherently dishonest, but telling a good story and enhancing their art and their craft.
I agree with you wholeheartedly! I chose the word ‘lie’ to be a bit deliberately provocative. I wanted to call attention to the selective nature of what we show in photos and writing. I should’ve taken the idea further. I was thinking of how the lines are kinda blurry at times. Art vs lie. What is the line between me manipulating a scene with an extra leaf vs enhancing a photo using AI? Lots to ponder.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I always find them valuable!
There's a topic idea for your next essay then - blurry lines between art and lie, between art and AI! Also I think you using your own mind (to come up with the idea to add a leaf, rather than tell AI to do it) , choosing the leaves and their placement, and also being there to do it all physically....is leaps and bounds better than using AI to enhance your shots...just my two cents..!
Those are excellent points that I hadn't really thought of! Thanks!
All photography (and any other visual arts) requires choices on what is included in the frame and what is excluded. These are choices in service of the story we want to tell. This can be difficult at the liminal space between nature and human - but you choose to focus on the natural elements of the park and this is the story you tell. Lovely images Erik.
I like the perspective of choosing the story we tell. But is there a line between the authentic and the manufactured? Maybe it’s a gray zone, different for everyone?