Project Statement
We live in an uncertain age when AI can enable or destroy us. It makes our lives and work easier but may also eliminate our jobs in the future. The complicated situation caused by the macroeconomic environment and the evolution of AI forces us to reconsider our career paths and reposition ourselves in the wave of technological advancement. This final project, The Paths, expresses through heavily retouched images a complex mood of making decisions that may cause far-reaching impacts. The photographer also aims to state a positive attitude towards the end of the series through a visual story illustrated by the images. The project also contains form-based elements, especially lines and curves from paths, in images captured at trails around the South Bay Area.
The workflow adopted for the project is also experimental: After determining the linguistic-based concept, the photographer picks one recommended adjustment from AI that seems most appropriate for the story and recalibrates the edits following the photographer's mental model. It is assumed that with sufficient training data, an AI model can bring the negatives to a decent, often stylish starting point. In cases where certain areas of an image need boosts of details, generative AI was adopted to enhance and perform super-resolution for higher visual quality. It is worth noting that none of the images are generated from scratch by AI; instead, AI has been used as a tool under the photographer's supervision such that the revision works in tandem with what already exists in the scene. Similarly, the narrative is also polished by large language models (LLMs) for a concise poem.
We brave the perils of an uncertain tomorrow.
At the crossroads of destiny, our choice holds the key.
Certain trails gleam with promise, their gentle slopes a siren's call.
Certain paths demand a wary tread, each step a gamble with the unknown ahead.
In life's tapestry, some lines remain uncrossed, boundaries to be respected.
Majestic views and destiny's heights, locked behind gates of might.
As newborn stars take flight, seasoned voyagers return to light.
Panic not when forks appear; pause, ponder, and heed your heart's sincere.
Blessed are those who find a hand to hold, companions on life's journey, souls united and bold.