Recreating Ai Imagery (Part 1)

I was inspired by AI imagery created by makeup artist Marika D’Auteuil Instagram AI art account @illusorybeauty, which spawned this personal project “Remembering Venus”.

In many ways this photo series feels full circle to me, in the way I started photography over 14 years ago. Back in 2008, when I was teaching myself photography, I actually started by learning digital photomanipulation. I’d take a photo of a person or object and then swap out the background and create more fantasy like imagery, using stock photos, specialised photoshop brushes etc. Eventually, I had reached the stage, where I wanted to actually capture it all in camera rather than created in post production.

Since then, much of my work is captured all in camera, except for the mixed media images like collaging etc. However, at the start of 2023, we started hearing more and more about AI generated imaging from various sites and to be honest with you, it really scared me. What concerns me the most about AI (among many other concerns, I’ll not go into here), is the obvious one - the potential replacement of creatives and artists alike, as companies will perceive AI tools as a cost effective strategy versus the production value in hiring several creatives. It has really been challenging not to be tempted to dabble in AI image generation, as it seems it would be so easy to bring to life the many photoshoot concepts I’ve sat on for years, written down and sketched out in my notebooks, unable to bring to life due to financial constraints. But a part of me feels like there is a sense of betrayal if I was to dabble in it.

Last year @illusorybeauty released an oceanic “mermaid vibe” series and it blew me away and I felt so inspired to produce something similar but the challenge would be to materialise what AI seems to defy in physics, which may not be possible in real life or even yet exist in the fashion industry to source. So for about 8 months, I stewed on this AI series, working it out in my mind; the materials I either had lying around or that I could source that would create a similar effect to what was digitally realised. It took a few months to track down the right materials (shells, fabric, pearls, resin), wait for them to be shipped and then a few more months to line up the model and makeup artist to help me create this series. Then a few days before the date of the shoot, I began assembling and putting together the styling and headpieces on a shoestring budget, even recycling an old faux coral headpiece I made out of pipe cleaners over 10 years ago for another shoot.

Finally, the day came on 25th March, just a few days before Easter. Leading up to this day, I was so excited and nervous not knowing if we’d be able to pull it off. It made me realise something too, about the difference between creating art in real life versus spoonfeeding AI to generate it for us. It is in the process of creating that we imbue our spirit in it, which cannot be replicated by a computer. I was having so much fun making things with my hands, it has been years, since I really had to custom make stuff for a shoot but also, the excitement in the uncertainty of whether it will all come together on the day of the shoot. I just don’t think you can mimic that joy, anticipation and emotion when generating imagery via AI.

The day of the shoot went amazingly well, we got so much done in such a short time. Everything just seemed to flow with ease and Lindi and Nauvoo were just the best to collaborate with, and it felt more like we were all playing “dress ups” and we were kids again. There was this sense of freedom to play, to assemble all the components on the day of the shoot, make mistakes, and creatively problem solve with lots of hair clips and clothes pegs. It was in the not knowing, that the art unfolded before us. There were moments during the process, that I could see each of us:- Lindi, Nauvoo and myself, each putting a piece of ourselves into what we were doing. That is where I think the soul essence of a piece of art work comes from, it’s when we each imprint a piece of our spirit, thereby breathing soul into them. There was no other word to describe what I was seeing before my eyes on the day of the shoot, but just pure magic! Sometimes it is in the playing, experimenting and making mistakes, that stirs up creative ingenuity which I would argue, wouldn’t happen on an AI command. There is no formula per say to follow, art simply happens and keeps evolving with collaborative spirit.

I am super proud of what Nauvoo, Lindi and I created on the day and it’s really hard for me to say this, as I usually beat up myself after every photoshoot, nit picking what I could have done better. However, I would not do anything different and I am super happy with how it translated in camera. The irony of being inspired by AI imagery, but we made it our own! And that’s what life is meant to do, inspire us to express it through our own voice. I guess I have to thank AI for stirring up inside of me once again, that creative spirit to materialise my imaginings.

So here are some of the final images of the 6 looks we did in about 5 hours and a behind the scenes video I put together as well.

A million thanks to my amazing team, we made the divine feminine trinity on the day: She’s more than a model, she’s a muse and an artist in her own right and contributed so much in guiding the draping of the fabrics on the day plus embodying a venusian goddess - Nauvoo (@i.am.nauvoo) @ Dust Models; and this would not be possible without the extraordinary makeup and hairstyling skills of Lindi Bester (@lindibester.makeup.artist), who seriously blows my socks off every time I work with her, in that it seems there is nothing she cannot do, but master! We are only as strong as our team and their ability to collaborate and openly exchanging ideas.

Lindi’s magic hands at work on Nauvoo

All photos copyright @katrienaemmanuel

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