What about AI in Photography

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making its way into various industries, including photography, for some time now. While I've previously written about generative AI art, I haven't given much attention to the role of AI in photography. So in this next series of blog posts, I'd like to explore how AI has been used in photography and how it has impacted the industry.

Firstly, it's important to note that AI in photography is not a new concept. In fact, AI has been used to assist with photo post-processing tasks for the past decade. Most photo editing and management software nowadays utilize some form of AI-based tasks to automate more tedious tasks. For instance, programs like Adobe Lightroom use AI to automatically adjust exposure, colour temperature, and contrast.

AI has also been added to computational photography, mainly limited to higher-end smartphones and some mirrorless cameras. With the help of AI, smartphones can produce images with shallow depth of field, low light performance, and enhanced HDR. These AI-based features allow users to take high-quality photos without the need for expensive camera equipment or extensive post-processing.

As someone who enjoys photography, I've been using AI-based tools to enhance my photos for some time now. My favourite AI tools at the moment are ON1 Photo RAW and Skylum’s Neo. They utilize machine learning to automate many of the tedious post-processing tasks. Both have a similar range of features, including sky replacement, portrait retouching, and object removal, which can significantly speed up my post-processing without compromising quality.

In conclusion, AI has already established itself in the world of photography, and it's likely that you're already using some form of AI-based tool without even realizing it. The role of AI in photography is only set to grow in the coming years, as more and more innovative solutions emerge. While AI-based tools may not appeal to those who enjoy tweaking individual images and playing with sliders, they can certainly make the process of photo editing more efficient and accessible for everyone.