2023-07-18 Fine Art Photography SIG meeting notes

We met online using ZOOM 6:00pm-9:00pm

The goal of our Fine Art Photography SIG is to help each other to create fine art from our photography.
The Fine Art SIG is a place where artists support each other and nurture creativity in others.
Unrequested criticism can feed an artist's fear of failure and stifle their creative growth.

ATTENDEES
Mike Barry
Heather Coe
Rich Ernst
Jim Limburg
Jack Lipscomb
Paul Marcoux
Ed Ogle
Ken Sandberg
Albert Wang

OUR MAIN DISCUSSION TOPIC WAS "Regenerative AI".
We continued our discussion of generating images from text. Rich showed how to use generative Fill in the new Photoshop Beta to create painterly versions of photographs. The beta version has been working for Rich, Jack and Jim, but it trashed Ed's computer requiring him to reload the released version of Photoshop. We briefly discussed ICM and Abstract photography.

RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration)
Abstract State of Mind: Seeing Beyond the Literal in Landscape Photos | PetaPixel - https://petapixel.com/2023/07/16/abstract-state-of-mind-seeing-beyond-the-literal-in-landscape-photos/
Dave Kelly's video on Generative Fill (GF)
- PHOTOSHOP BETA (Photos To ART) Tips and Tricks (Generative Fill) - YouTube
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BlWxR3hGg0
- PHOTOSHOP BETA (Photo To ART- PART 2) Workflow Change and a New Action To Go With It... - YouTube
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwhgraBFl-M
-Dave Kelly's video on General photo editing from his YouTube channel:
The Joy of Editing with Dave Kelly - YouTube
- https://www.youtube.com/@thejoyofeditingwithdavekelly/videos
NEW Photoshop TOOL! better than Generative Fill? - YouTube
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODSAToMS-is
Best Photoshop Generative Fill hack EVER - YouTube (overcome the size limitations of GF)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7SDzpEGdCY
Controlling Generative Fill in Photoshop—Watercolor Tutorial #nucly - YouTube
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36MfQMfX0Vk
(Thank you Rich for all the Youtube links)

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUES AND PERSONAL PROJECTS
We critiqued many images created by Adobe Firefly. Sometimes it does a good job and sometimes it creates a poor image. Firefly will easily create an image, but it is hard to refine what it creates. Firefly also has a lot of restrictions on the images that it will create. Midjourney or DALL-E might do a better job.

PICK A TOPIC FOR THE NEXT MEETING
Let's create some abstract photography for the August meeting. Read over the "Abstract State of Mind..." article listed in the RESOURCES and create some abstract images. We will also continue creating and discussing ICM or AI images at the August meeting.

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 8/15/2023 @6:00pm
1. The main topic will be "Abstract Photography".
2. We will hold constructive critiques (optional) Pick as many as 3 images that you would like critiqued, and be prepared to show them by sharing your screen during the ZOOM meeting.
3. We will pick a topic for the next meeting

If you don't have time to research the topic, or you don't have any images that you want to have critiqued, that is OK, you can just attend the meeting and participate when you want.

I would like to see more pictures from our Fine Art SIG in the regular club meeting slideshows, and especially on the new Facebook page: Fort Collins Photo Art which is open to the public and more oriented towards Fine Art.

PAUL MARCOUX will send out the Meeting ID, passcode, and meeting link when we have scheduled the meeting, which will be about a week before the meeting date. He will be hosting the August meeting.

Please email Mike, info@fcdcc.com, when you find mistakes, missing information or if you have suggestions for the Fine Art Photography SIG and I will try to address the issues.