The Photography Show is hosting a live debate this week on AI and its future in photography. The round table discussion will feature well-known photographers and filmmakers and will take place on Thursady August 24 at 2.45pm ET / 7.45pm BST.
Join us online for this intriguing and lively debate around AI-generated image creation; the impact and limitations we’re seeing already - and what the professionals think we’ll see in the near future. It is free to join in - all you need to do is register online.
Panellists Brooke Shaden, Calvin Chinthaka, Corrine Gretton-West and Panikos Hajistilly - all of whom approach capturing images from very different angles - will talk about their take on AI. Do they or will they incorporate it into their work? What do developments in AI mean for their creativity, efficiency and business proposition? Ultimately, is AI a game-changer or an assistant to a creator reinventing their journey - OR none of the above?!
The session will be pitched at all levels from beginners up to professionals – and will be chaired by the Royal Photographic Society's Michael Pritchard. The aim is not to terrify us all but to talk practically about AI and its applications - and how useful they might be to us, as photographers and filmmakers.
A live Q&A will finish the session, with the panelists taking questions from the audience. Register now to ensure you have the link to listen to, and take part in, this discussion.
Meet the panelists
Brooke explores the darkness and light in people, and her work looks at that juxtaposition. As a self-portrait artist, she photographs herself and becomes the characters of dreams inspired by a childhood of intense imagination and fear. Being the creator and the actor, Brooke controls her darkness and confronts those fears.
After studying films for years in college, she realized her love of storytelling was universal. She started photography then in 2008, excited to create in solitude and take on character roles herself. Brooke works from a place of theme, often gravitating toward death and rebirth or beauty and decay.
Ultimately, her process is more discovery than creation. She follows her curiosity into the unknown to see whom her characters might become. Brooke believes the greatest gift an artist has is the ability to channel fears, hopes and experience into a representation of one's potential.
While her images come from a personal place of exploration, the goal in creating is not only to satisfy herself; her greatest wish is to show others a part of themselves. Art is a mirror for the creator and the observer .
Brooke's passion is storytelling, and her life is engulfed in it. From creating self-portraits and writing to international adventures and motivational speeches, she wants to live a thousand lives in one. She keeps her curiosity burning to live a truly interesting story.
Calvin Chinthaka
Calvin Chinthaka is a multi-talented British-Sri Lankan filmmaker, producer, fashion photographer, and entrepreneur. He has also delved into contemporary AI image practice in recent years, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology with his artistic vision.
This involvement in AI image practice has positioned Calvin at the forefront of technological innovation in the arts. His projects are known for blending human intuition and machine precision, resulting in works that challenge traditional artistic paradigms and offer a glimpse into the future of creative expression.
Whether working with fashion brands, creating unique films, or pioneering new techniques in AI, Calvin Chinthaka remains committed to exploring the uncharted territories of art and technology. His multifaceted career and visionary approach make him prominent in the creative and business communities. Whether through film, photography, or brand strategy, Calvin's work inspires and challenges conventional thinking, making him a true trailblazer in his field.
Corrine Gretton-West
Corrine is a skilled photographer with a notable focus on the intricate Wet Plate Collodion process. She is an associate lecturer at the University of Northampton, where she imparts her knowledge of alternative photographic processes. In addition to this, she also runs her own photography business, specialising in brand photography.
Panikos Hajistilly
After 25 years on the “technical” side of the photography world repairing cameras for Canon, Olympus and Nikon, Panikos opened his first studio in 2002, and 7,000 clients later sold it in 2009! He then went at it alone and built his own studio in 2013.
That’s when his photography began to flourish with numerous awards for his photography coming in a diverse number of genres from landscape to families, and pets to beauty portraits. He won the UK Photographer of the Year in 2017 with the Master Photographers Association and became a Fellow (or equivalent) with most major photographic bodies in the UK.
He now judges photo competitions with many organisations and mentors numerous up-and-coming photographers looking to gain qualifications.
The discussion is one of a number of online events and regular podcasts that The Photography Show is hosting between now and the next four-day exhibition at Birmingham's NEC, which takes place from March 16-19, 2024.
