Maverick, The Beatles, and AI: A Photographer’s Solo Birthday Adventure
A few days ago, I went solo to the USS Intrepid as part of my birthday festivities. I am not into birthdays. But feel the need to do something special. Maybe it is a cultural thing. I haven’t been to the ship in many years. Last time, I probably needed Goose, Maverick, and Iceman to fly in and save me—long story.
I spent some time taking pictures on the ground level at Pier 86. I shot the Growler and Concorde. It was quite sunny, and I was using a Nikkor 24-70 F2.8 with a polarizing filter—sunglasses for my lens. I was wearing those for my eyes. All was well; I decided to go onto the Growler Submarine. It is gray. I wish it were yellow another long story. From the second I boarded the Growler until I left the Intrepid, I sang “Yellow Submarine” in my head.
How AI helped My Shots on the Intrepid and a Few Weeks Ago at Coney Island’s Sand Sculpture Contest
Filter Issues
While waiting in a short line to enter the Growler, I wanted to switch to a clear filter. No need for such a polarizing filter indoors. At least not in this case. I could not get the polarizer off. A few weeks ago, while in camp, I had a similar issue with my 24-120. I gave up and spent more time in Photoshop. I was determined to switch filters.
I Googled my issue. Google sent me many sites. All I wanted was a clear answer. I switched to asking in AI mode. It was so direct. It gave me three straightforward options. I didn’t have what was needed for the first two choices. So, I was left to try the third one. It told me to make my index finger and thumb into a C and place it on the filter. It then said to start turning, and it should loosen. It also had a video, which I watched. I tried it, and the filter popped right off, and I swapped on the one I needed.
Yellow Submarine
As I was boarding, I asked the attendant to take a shot of me in front of the Regulus missile. I was far from the only one. I texted the shot to a few friends with the caption: It is gray. But I wish it were yellow. An hour later, a friend texted back with her birthday wishes and said she was having fun with AI. She took the picture and made the sub yellow. She then took a picture of me and transposed me in front of the yellow submarine from the cover of the Beatles’ album and placed me on Coney Island’s boardwalk with the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel in the background. It was great that she took my shot from an iPhone and still had fun with AI. The shot wasn’t really created with AI. It was just edited. I still believe in taking the shot yourself – be it with a mobile device or traditional camera.
Sand Sculpture Contest
Recently, I headed to my home away from home, Coney Island, for its 34th Annual Sand Sculpture Contest. Dozens of people created great sand art. I had the same lens and polarizing filter. I packed the night before. I put in the lens hood. I popped it onto the lens, and it fit. I didn’t think anything else. I tossed it in my camera bag.
I got to the beach and noticed I was seeing parts of the filter through my lens. I was not happy. I never had that issue. I panicked. I shot without it for a while, and it was fine. But wanted to avoid the glare. I did the usual Google search. It led me to many sites. Finally, I typed in the lens hood model into AI. It responded that I was using the wrong hood. The one I mistakenly bought is for one of my other lenses. I was a little surprised. All of my lenses are different sizes. I never thought this hood I bought was wrong. Alas, it was. It is slightly different in size and does not fit on the lens I brought. But not properly.
Conclusion
I believe the work should come from someone’s creativity. Over the years, many tools have been created to help us when we need them. AI is one of those. If it were not for it, I’d still be stuck trying to get the filter off my lens; I would not have realized my lens hood miscues, and my pal wouldn’t have been able to make her birthday greeting for me. AI will keep offering us help and making our lives easier. I am not sure if it is an infant, toddler, or tween. Not sure it is a teen yet. But maybe. Bottom line, we need to watch it grow and let it help us so we can move ahead.
Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc. 