Artificial intelligence is used to help improve the world in so many different ways today, even if you don’t realize it. If you’re a photographer, you may not even realize that your digital camera is harnessing the power of AI every single time you press the shutter. In addition to your camera utilizing AI technology, many photographers have even turned to AI to do tasks to help improve their photography or even speed up their workflow. In this article, we’ll be exploring everything you need to know about how photographers can use AI in photography.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is starting to be used in many different aspects of the world today. AI allows computers to do things that would normally require true human intelligence. Instead, we can now rely on artificial intelligence to complete tasks. AI exists in so many different places that you may not even realize.
One of the most widely used forms of AI is in digital smart assistants, such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Assistant. This kind of digital assistant can understand what you’re saying, and transform the words you say into a variety of different tasks. This would not be possible without artificial intelligence. Search engines like Google also use AI to help you find what you’re searching for. Netflix uses AI to help recommend the next show that you might be interested in. AI can even be used creatively to make art or help to enhance your type of photography.
Many different photo editing software utilize AI technology to do anything from adjusting exposure and contrast, all the way to digitally removing noise or sharpening your image. Photoshop even allows you to use AI to create a layer mask of the sky. With tons of new AI-based features being added every year, we will continue to see advances in AI technology that can help us create compelling photos.
Integrated AI in Cameras
While AI in software might be up-and-coming, AI has been used for years in digital cameras. There are quite a few different ways your digital camera may use AI technology. Most of which you probably don’t even realize are happening in real time.
Facial Recognition
Most notably, many newer digital cameras have facial and subject recognition. Portrait photographers love the ability for the camera’s autofocus system to instantly recognize the face of their subject. Many cameras go a step further, using AI technology to instantly snap the focus to either the left or right eye of the subject. Some cameras may even allow you to change from human facial recognition to animals or birds.
Red Eye Fix
Even things that used to plague photographers are now being fixed in camera with artificial intelligence. Many digital cameras allow the option to turn on a setting to automatically fix red eye on the subject of your photo. This technology utilizes AI in order to properly select the eye, as well as remove the red color.
Subject Recognition
Some cameras and accessories even use AI technology to properly expose and photograph a scene. These tools can help photographers focus less on adjusting their settings and more on their composition. In addition, tools like this help new photographers who want to be sure to perfect their exposure every time.
Zoom and Enhance
Zooming and enhancing your photos is also possible with artificial intelligence. Whether you want to zoom in and retain the original resolution, or enhance the resolution of your photos to make a large print, AI has you covered. While this usually requires software to achieve, there are some cameras that may even be able to do this in camera.
Of course, like any kind of technology, AI in cameras isn’t always perfect. Occasionally, you’ll run into issues where the AI isn’t quite perfect. However, these features are constantly refined and updated by your camera’s manufacturer. You should always update your camera in case there are any firmware updates to the AI technology. Artificial intelligence is always improving, and having AI within your camera allows you to achieve some spectacular results.
Evolution of AI
Artificial intelligence has been around for a while to help photographers be more efficient and capture better images. In years past, photographers have used AI to help enhance the capabilities of their cameras, or even to help edit their photos automatically. As AI has become more accessible and fine-tuned, open source AI technologies have come to market. Things like ChatGPT allow photographers to simply ask a question, and AI will answer the question as if it is having a conversation. There is no doubt that AI will certainly help to revolutionize photography — and even the world.
AI Tools for Photographers
While there are a variety of different AI-based softwares that can aid photographers, we will cover a few of the best free tools that utilize artificial intelligence.
AI Image Generation
Many websites (such as deepai.org) offer AI Image Generation. This allows you to create images simply by typing a few words. There are also many apps that allow you to do the same. Usually, you’ll put in a text prompt. The prompt can be as simple as a couple words, or as complex as a paragraph. Sometimes, you’ll even have the option to “exclude” certain things from your image if there is an effect you wish to avoid. These services usually allow you to make a few free images before charging you for additional renditions.
Of course, using this technology means you are creating photography from a prompt. It’s important to make sure that you specify this if you use the AI photos — in order to maintain artistic integrity.
AI Image Upscaler
If you have low resolution photos, software like AI Image Upscaler can help to increase the resolution of your photos. This can be beneficial if you need to crop an image down, blow up an image for print, or just want a higher resolution. This kind of AI Upscaler uses AI technology to create more pixels, in turn increasing the resolution of your photos. This particular upscaler made by StockPhotos even has FacePro, which recognizes and enhances faces to make them look fantastic in higher resolutions. AI Image Upscaler comes with three free upscales, and then you’ll have to pay if you like the software.
Autoenhance.ai
AI can also help improve the photos you have already taken — for example, software like Autoenhance.ai. It does this in three main ways. First, it allows for simple and easy sky replacement. Second, you can use perspective correction, which is incredibly helpful for real estate or cityscape photography. Finally, you can use the AI option to relight the image. Autoenhance.ai is free for 15 images, and then you’ll have to upgrade if you wish to continue using its service.
Pixlr
While most photo editing softwares like Lightroom and Photoshop contain AI features, one of the best free photo editors that uses artificial intelligence is Pixlr. You can use AI to do things like background removal, add animations, and even apply and adjust filters and effects. The free version of Pixlr gives you access to their AI tools, but does contain ads until you upgrade to one of the premium plans.
ChatGPT or Bard
Moving outside of the photo editing space, things like ChatGPT can be great tools for photographers if you need inspiration or have questions to ask. ChatGPT can give you gear ideas, insights into photography questions, and even create captions for your Instagram posts or emails.
How Photographers Can Utilize AI
Using AI might be easier than you think, and there are more ways you can use AI than just for image editing. Photographers who run their own business can get great use out of AI in order to save time and expedite tasks that would normally eat away at your precious shooting time. Here are some examples on how to implement AI into your workflow:
Creating an AI Moodboard
If you’re a commercial photographer, your clients may want you to make a moodboard before your shoot. Even if you have the vision for the shoot already in mind, creating a moodboard takes time. Using AI technology in image generators is a great way to expedite the mood board creation process. No more browsing the web for hours on end trying to find a very specific image!
Planning the Model’s Look
Portrait photographers can use ChatGPT to suggest the model’s hair, makeup, and/or wardrobe. Additionally, you can ask ChatGPT things like “where is the best place to take portraits in Chicago?” or even “Can you give me examples of different poses for female models?” If you’re new to photography, you can use ChatGPT to help you learn how to take photos in manual mode, or even the best kind of focus to use for portrait photography.
Editing Your Photos
All kinds of photographers can use AI to help edit their photos. Photographers will appreciate the ability to quickly edit their images with AI — even if they make additional modifications to the image. Using AI to help fix the exposure, saturation, and contrast can save photographers time in their editing workflow.
Photographers can also use AI software to reduce noise, sharpen blurry photos, or even upscale their images. If you’re shooting in low light conditions, you may need to use noise reduction to create a cleaner image. Using AI technology will help you to reduce noise, yet maintain a high quality image. If you missed the focus on your photo, or if the subject was moving, AI can help to make your subject tack sharp. If you want to create large prints or maintain resolution after cropping, AI can help you to do this in a simple yet effective way.
Keywording Your Images
Some software utilizes AI technology to keyword your images. This is beneficial for the photographer because it allows you to then search for groups of images later by using a simple keyword. When AI creates keywords, it doesn’t force you to waste time keywording every single image, and instead the software will automatically look at your image and create keywords for you.
Culling Through Photos
Lastly, photographers that take tons of images at once (such as wedding or portrait photographers) can use AI technology to cull through their images. Many AI software tools will import thousands of images at once, and identify photos where the subject is out of focus or has their eyes closed. This can save hours of culling at the computer where all you’re doing is flagging images that are good and removing the images that are bad. Turning to AI will help speed up your workflow and allow you to achieve more in less time.
AI in Photography – Conclusion
There is certainly a lot to know and many different ways you can use AI in photography. As you can see, artificial intelligence serves two main purposes in photography — to speed up your workflow, or to enhance your images. Hopefully this guide helped to show that using AI to improve your photography is easier and more useful than ever. There is an AI tool for practically any task you can need for your photography.
