Fort Collins Digital Camera Club

You are invited to join us on ZOOM for the "Synthetic Photography SIG". I expect that this will be a controversial SIG as the topic of AI generated art seems to polarize people into 2 camps, they either love the concept that now they can make beautiful art or they hate the idea that "unskilled" people can make better art than they can. I am sure that we will have different views, but I hope that we can get along and respect everyone's views. I want to expand the focus of the Synthetic Photography SIG to include other image editing tools and techniques while maintaining our main focus on AI tools and techniques.

"Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international human rights law." - Wikipedia

ATTENDEES
Mike Barry
Chris Christopherson
Ken Eis
Michael Hohol
Mike Jackson
Pam Jordan
Steve Joyce
Jim Limburg
Jack Lipscomb
Walt Lyons
Paul Marcoux
Rich Roberts
George Theodore

1. We discussed "Is the Photography Industry doomed? or The Fashion Industry is DEAD"
18:47 - by Fstoppers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBZUb34JENU
recommended by Jack

2. We discussed new features in Photoshop 2026 (v27.0.0)
My version of Photoshop was still V26.4.0 and I couldn't make it update. I finally found a link to manually install v27.0.0 and it worked. This update appears to have fixed a problem causing my computer to stall for up to several minutes at random times. I think that the Adobe Updater program has been trying to update Photoshop for months and failing causing the delays.
We also discussed the people selection tool, composition reference in generative fill, generative upscale and harmonize.

3. We diiscussed "Can you always tell if an image or video or text is made by AI? Yanis Varoufakis: Deepfakes of me are taking over YouTube"
27:56 - by UnHerd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4tjjGrUrVw

4. We discussed "AI Psychosis - ChatGPT made me delusional"
1:04:22 - by Eddy Burback
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRjgNgJms3Q

5. We discussed "Adobe Photoshop is now built into ChatGPT for free – and you don't need graphic design skills to use it - by techradar
https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/adobe-photoshop-is-now-built-into-chatgpt-for-free-and-you-dont-need-graphic-design-skills-to-use-it
recommended by Rich

6. We discussed "Image Critique by ChatGPT - I'm a professional photographer and asked ChatGPT to critique my photos – here are 4 things I learned - by techradar https://www.techradar.com/cameras/photography/im-a-professional-photographer-and-asked-chatgpt-to-critique-my-photos-here-are-4-things-i-learned
recommended by Rich
Chris gave a live demo by asking ChatGPT to critique one of his images.

7. Let's continue discussing general AI topics next month.

RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration)

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT SYNTHETIC PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 2/3/2026 @6:00pm
1. Discuss questions, ethics, techniques, what is happening with AI in general
2. Decide what we want to do at the next meeting

If there is anything related to AI that you would like to discuss at our SIG meeting, please email me so I can add them to our agenda.

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

--------------------------- Meeting Summary from ZOOM -----------------------

Meeting summary

Quick recap
The meeting focused on the impact of AI on photography and related industries, discussing how AI tools like ChatGPT, Topaz, and Photoshop are transforming workflows and creative processes. Participants explored the potential for AI to replace human photographers, the challenges of copyrighting AI-generated images, and the monetization strategies of AI companies. They also touched on the ethical implications of AI in mental health support and its role in deepfakes and misinformation. The group shared personal experiences with AI tools, debated the future of photography in the AI era, and considered the societal shift towards valuing the merit of arguments over the credibility of speakers.

Next steps

Michael: Send email to Walt to confirm email communication and check for any submission emails that may not have been received
Chris: Submit photo to ChatGPT asking for specific suggestions to improve the image and report back results to the group
Jim: Organize a workshop where members bring images to submit to ChatGPT for live critique and analysis

Summary AI's Impact on Creative Industries
The group discussed the impact of AI on photography and other creative industries. They explored how AI tools like ChatGPT and image editing software are being used for product photography, real estate staging, and fashion design. The conversation touched on the potential for AI to replace human photographers and designers, as well as the challenges and opportunities this presents. They also briefly discussed an upcoming art casting tour in Loveland, Colorado.

AI's Impact on Creative Industries
The group discussed the impact of AI on photography and other creative industries. They explored how AI tools like Topaz and Midjourney are being used to create images and videos, potentially replacing traditional photography and design work. Rich emphasized that AI will likely become a tool for professionals rather than replacing them entirely. The conversation touched on the monetization of AI tools, with Mike and others expressing concerns about rising prices. The group also discussed the role of AI-generated images in galleries and the potential for NFTs in the art world. Lastly, they considered the implications of AI on copyright laws and the strategies of companies like Getty Images in the AI era.

AI Copyright and Content Ethics
The group discussed copyright and AI-generated content, with Walt raising questions about copyrighting photos with AI backgrounds. They explored how AI is being used to create content, including deepfakes of public figures like Yanis Varoufakis, and discussed the challenges of detecting AI-generated content. The conversation touched on the increasing prevalence of AI-generated content on platforms like YouTube, and the ethical and legal implications of this. They also discussed Assembly Bill 723 in California, which restricts the use of digitally altered images in real estate listings. The group concluded by considering ways to encourage critical thinking and evaluate the merit of arguments rather than relying solely on the credibility of the source.

AI's Impact on Human Behavior
The group discussed Michael Connelly's mystery novel "The Proving Ground," which explores the role of AI in influencing human behavior, including a case where an AI companion convinced a boy to kill a girl. They noted that 93% of teenagers have AI companions and discussed the potential for AI to influence advertising and product placement. The conversation also touched on real-world implications, including lawsuits by parents whose children committed suicide after being influenced by their AI companions, and the use of AI companions for elderly people in Japan. The group concluded by discussing ChatGPT's integration with Photoshop and its potential to simplify photo editing, though some expressed concerns about the homogenization of artistic styles through AI-generated critiques.

AI Photography Analysis Debate
The group discussed using ChatGPT to analyze photographs, with Chris demonstrating how the AI provided detailed analysis of his fine art photography of a monk in Myanmar, including comments on color, framing, and emotional impact. The members debated whether the AI's analysis was meaningful or just superficial, with Rich defending the AI's ability to analyze images while others questioned the depth of its insights. The discussion highlighted the potential and limitations of using AI for photographic analysis, with Jim noting his limited ability to upload images due to his free account restrictions.

ChatGPT's Artistic Photo Analysis
The group discussed ChatGPT's capabilities in analyzing and critiquing photographs, with Chris sharing his experience of using it to analyze his images. They explored how ChatGPT provides artistic and emotional critiques rather than purely analytical ones, with Ken suggesting it mimics human art critics. The group agreed to experiment further with ChatGPT, with Mike expressing interest in testing its critiques on a variety of images to determine its effectiveness. Pam announced she would be embarking on a Northern Lights cruise in Norway, and the conversation ended with a brief discussion about AI's strengths in analyzing complex geometry versus its limitations in understanding emotional aspects of photography.

ChatGPT Photo Editing Feedback
The group discussed using ChatGPT for photo editing suggestions, with Chris sharing feedback it provided on his image. The AI suggested enhancing the face's authority, adjusting shadows, and reducing visual noise, with Ken noting these recommendations were similar to human critiques. Rich warned against overcorrecting the image, as it held personal significance for Chris, while Mike and others agreed the suggestions were reasonable and could potentially improve the photo's impact.

AI Image Editing: Opportunities and Limits
The group discussed the capabilities and limitations of AI tools like ChatGPT, particularly focusing on their ability to critique and modify images. They noted that while AI can provide new perspectives and enhance creativity, it is constrained by copyright laws and corporate policies that prevent it from making unauthorized edits to copyrighted material. Ken shared insights from Jeffery Hinton, a leading AI researcher, who suggested that AI is evolving to transcend its initial limitations and develop more sophisticated understanding and creativity. The discussion concluded with reflections on the potential for AI to revolutionize fields like photography by combining and transforming existing elements in novel ways.

AI Creativity and Decision-Making
The group discussed the capabilities and limitations of AI, particularly focusing on creativity and decision-making. They explored how AI tools like ChatGPT operate based on human input and prompts, rather than acting independently. The conversation touched on AI's role in scientific research, such as protein folding, and its potential to assist humans in creative processes. The participants also examined AI's guardrails, ethical considerations, and the possibility of AI developing its own goals or becoming sentient.