The rapid advancement of technology over the past few decades has automated many of the tasks humans have to carry out today. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) has been critical in ensuring that many of our devices have heightened efficiency, making life more open and accessible.
This is true for photography, as well. Many cameras and photography tools leverage AI technologies to simplify tasks that would otherwise be laborious. Automating certain features allows photographers to focus more on their artistic choices rather than getting their tools to cooperate with them. Curious about how AI has improved photography? Here are some fascinating examples.
Advanced autofocus features
Thanks to its advanced autofocus features, AI has been integral to enhancing digital cameras’ point-and-shoot capabilities. Today, one of the biggest benefits of compact digital cameras is their ease of use and smaller size. Even while offering flexibility in their manual settings, they’re often utilized for quick shots. That’s because their AI-powered face detection features allow for sharp focus on the subject’s face. You can see this in the Panasonic LUMIX S5 II, which features high-speed and high-precision autofocus thanks to deep-learning algorithms that provide real-time detection of the subject’s eyes, face, head, and body. These let the camera lock its focus on the subject so that photographers can quickly snap away without worrying too much about their settings.
Greater setting adjustments and exposure control
In addition to more advanced autofocus features, today’s cameras utilize AI technology to enhance tone, color, contrast, and exposure as you snap. This is useful for mirrorless cameras, like the Fujifilm X-T4, which are popular among photographers because their lack of mirrors makes it easier to take photos in quick succession. Thanks to AI, this speed is complemented by high-quality images. The Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera exemplifies this as it improves upon its predecessors with added in-body image stabilization, a fully articulating screen, and a higher-capacity battery, it goes even further with AI-powered color and tonal adjustments that optimize color and contrast based on the subject. It also has AI-based exposure controls, which automate exposure settings to suit any light conditions. This allows photographers to capture workable images for post-processing more easily.
More efficient photo editing software
Every photographer utilizes photo editing software to turn raw shots into final outputs. With AI, these photo editing software programs have enhanced capabilities that make typically time-consuming and repetitive tasks achievable with just a few clicks. While Photoshop contains standard upscaling tools to enlarge images, AI upscaling allows you to process images quickly. With automatic noise reduction, it can produce cleaner upscaled images. AI can also help with the culling process, with programs like Narrative Select automatically identifying whether subjects blinked or were out of focus. By eliminating these photos, the program reduces the time it takes you to choose from raw shots, which can number in the thousands. AI features like these allow professional photographers to better optimize their time.
Better smartphone cameras
As the device most commonly used for everyday photography, smartphone cameras pack in many of the AI features found in professional cameras. The biggest smartphone manufacturers, Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, have continuously upgraded deep-learning algorithms to elevate their camera qualities. One of the most common ways is through image enhancement via automatic ISO and exposure adjustments. Smartphone cameras also have a greater depth effect, blurring backgrounds to provide a bokeh effect in portraits. Finally, they can more efficiently shoot photos in quick succession while retaining excellent picture quality thanks to machine learning algorithms. Although smartphones do not have the same flexibility as professional-grade cameras, AI allows them to keep up, making high-quality photography achievable for more users.
Photography is an essential tool to capture precious moments and express oneself creatively. With AI, the art form is becoming more widely accessible, letting photographers test the boundaries of their creativity.