Here’s What It Suggested for Improvement

Summary

• ChatGPT has identified key components and photography techniques accurately in bird photo analysis.

• Editing tips focused on enhancing the lighting, composition and colors of the image.

• Lightroom’s detailed editing guide provided subtle edits but wasn’t always in line with the artist’s vision.

• AI photo analysis can be a valuable tool for novice photographers to learn and improve their photography.

I’m late to the AI ​​bandwagon. As a wildlife photographer, I haven’t had much to do with AI. Recently, I discovered that AI can analyze photos. Curious, I uploaded my image to ChatGPT, and this is what happened.

Initial analysis

To begin, I uploaded a photo of a common tern. I took this photo in the morning on a spring day. The light was soft, and wanted to evoke a calm and serene feeling in the viewers.

I didn’t use a crazy one Artificial intelligence techniques; I just asked to analyze the image.

The initial analysis was spot on. He clearly identified the key components of my picture: minimalism, overexposure, the sense of space and the bird in motion. He even correctly identified the bird!

In-depth analysis

ChatGPT offered to tell me more about photography techniques in his reply. I took the offer and asked ChatGPT to find the photography techniques applied to the images. The prompt I used was, again, very simple.

Once again, he exceeded my expectations in decoding the methods I used. I used space to highlight the subject and keep the image airy and uncluttered. ChatGPT explained it well too. I take a minimalist approach to all my images. I like to call my style simple and minimal, so it’s no surprise that ChatGPT saw it as the number one photography technique.

While editing, I intentionally increased exposure for a high-key lighting look. ChatGPT was quick to find this. He also noted that the soft blue horizon adds to the serene feeling.

The popular AI tool accurately called out technical things like exposure and camera settings. For example, ChatGPT could say that the image was taken at a shallow depth of field with a telephoto lens at a high shutter speed. It also pinpointed the rule of thirds, the composition rule that I used.

Suggestions for improvement

When I asked ChatGPT for tweaks, this is the list of things it suggested in detail.

ChatGPT recommended several modifications to enhance my photo. He suggested adjusting lighting and contrast to sharpen the bird’s wings, increase midtones, and refine highlights and shadows. To make the bird stand out, he recommended enhancing the colors, especially the beak, and playing with warm or cool tones.

For the composition, I recommend picking with the rule of thirds (although I already had it) and consider symmetry or asymmetry. On the technical side, it offers the sharpening of the wings and to control the noise in the overexposed areas. Finally, ChatGPT suggested adding a thumbnail, replace the skyand experiencing creative effects such as adding lens flare or a watercolor overlay.

Lightroom editing process

ChatGPT gave me three options for specific editing in Lightroom, Photoshop and GIMP. I asked for a detailed Lightroom process as it is my favorite editing tool for wildlife photos.

From importing and exporting to every little slide in between, ChatGPT gave me a step-by-step process, sometimes with a specific value. I followed the edits cautiously. I skipped some of the optional artistic effects, like overlays and lens flares, since I tend to keep my edits to a minimum in my nature photos. In general, I do not prefer extreme changes.

You can check the before and after in the screenshot.

As you can see, the ChatGPT edits were subtle and didn’t dramatically change my photo. The main noticeable difference is in the sharpness of the bird. The edited photo shows more definition in the bird’s wings and a slightly darker sky.

However, I intentionally lowered the texture and clarity to achieve a calm, dreamy look. The increased brightness in my original image was also done on purpose to achieve a high-key effect. Therefore, ChatGPT’s editing ideas are not exactly in line with my artistic vision.

AI image analysis can help you improve your photography

I tried the same process with different images and came to the same conclusion. As a seasoned photographer with years under my belt honing the craft, ChatGPT’s analysis and suggestions, while impeccable, are not revolutionary to me. But I had a lot of appreciation 10 years ago, like a new photographer trying to find my style.

That said, I will continue to use ChatGPT to generate ideas and improve my photography. Above are the complete images, before and after editing.

If you are a beginner self-taught photographer, my advice as a photography educator is: don’t forget AI. It can be a valuable tool to act as your mentor and critic, guiding you to become a confident photographer.