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Michael Childers, the Coachella Valley photographer known for capturing iconic images of theater, dance and Hollywood celebrities over the past six decades, recently experienced a creative block.

After reviewing some of his photos recently, Childers came up with an idea to merge them with a surrealist aesthetic. He contacted his friend and colleague Stephen Baumbach, the owner of the Stephen Richard Baumbach Gallery in Palm Springs, who's been exploring the artistic possibilities of AI software. Baumbach who was happy to collaborate with Childers.

The results of their collaboration will be featured in the exhibition “AI Photography” from April 5 to May 10 at Melissa Morgan Fine Art. At 1 p.m. on April 21, Childers and Baumbach will participate in a presentation and discussion with Steven Biller, editorial director of Palm Springs Life magazine.

This isn't the first time Childers has combined new technology with his photography. He previously created a photo collage series and a 2021 fusion series from photos he took during a nine-day trip to Yellowstone National Park, overlapping the negatives with other images to intensify the look.

"When digital (cameras) came out, I said 'Oh, no way! This is going to come and go.' I was wrong. Once I learned how to master digital, it was so much fun, and there's many things you can do. I was still on black and white, classic photos developed in the darkroom. But if you don't know how to do any of that that, you can't do (photography). I can't wait to try more distortions and movement (with AI)," Childers said.

"In the 1830s, a steam locomotive could go 30 miles an hour and that was the 'work of the devil.' Now our trains go 100 miles an hour and we're OK with that. We're going to be OK with (AI) too. People adapt their particular job niche to whatever it is. Writers, illustrators, photographers, painters — everybody's going to adjust to or use it to become better."

What traditionally makes for a good photo has been the abilities of the photographer and storytelling. Does a photo have meaning if it can be altered with a few commands in AI software? Childers said he doesn't like giving up control of his artistic abilities, but still wanted to "take this voyage" into AI.

"I wanted to jump into a new area working with classic images, make them newer and see what AI could do," Childers said. "I think (AI) expands the mind, and I can't wait to see what they do with more film and photography after the early successes of this."

"I wanted to use AI as a base, and there's a part of both of us (he and Childers) in the way of doing things. We didn't just grab it out of thin air, it's some of our own work," Baumbach said.

AI as an instrument in creating art

Melissa Morgan Fine Art recently showcased digital arts such as LED light and video arts, as well as an AI robot that can interact with humans. Alec Longmuir, the gallery director, said he anticipates more AI art submissions for future exhibitions, provided that the authorship of the submitted works only includes AI as a component of the artistic process, and it's not entirely autonomous.

"People in this day and age are confused about what AI means, and there are all kinds of scary boogeyman concepts that AI is going to take over everything," Longmuir said. "Michael just looks at it as a tool, almost like another paintbrush. In that sense, what he's doing with these works is using existing imagery, photographs taken in the past and creating abstraction around them. The abstraction has been created with AI as a tool under his suggestion."

The imaginative quality of these AI-generated and classic surrealistic images is appealing, but the artistic value is subjective. Each viewer's unique perspective and response to AI-generated artwork contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the question, "What is art?"

Baumbach took the existing images Childers had and combined them with a red background, but the results weren't always perfect. Childers described some of the outcomes as "interesting" but showed obvious discrepancies with hands and feet. One image included a sheep, which was not in the original photograph.

"I didn't tell AI to do anything, I just let it have its way," Baumbach said. "I had a blast doing this because these (artworks) came from Michael's original abstracts."

AI technology has just begun to demonstrate its capabilities and the use of this technology by visual artists has posed some interesting challenges, particularly around trademark and artistic integrity. However, there is also great potential for artists to use AI as a tool for enhancing their creative output.

"If you think about abstract expressionism and how you throw the paint, there's a certain amount of accidents in it, and I think that's the thinking here with the AI. Like a photographer that takes traditional film photographs, you may shoot 10 rolls of film and choose one photograph. The editing is as much a part of the process as taking the photo itself and choosing one," Longmuir said.

Results may vary

There are many AI programs available online for anyone to use, and the outcomes are often seen on social media. You've probably come across AI photos in your feed without realizing it unless you've examined them carefully, and the flaws are often hilarious — extra fingers, disfigured arms and legs and more. Google’s Gemini software, for example, has been known to produce historically inaccurate and culturally insensitive photos.

Baumbach uses PromeAI, a subscription-based system that can convert text into images and videos that he described as "easy to use." However, he and Childers found it amusing when a picture was generated with a sheep in it. Although some of the other rejected photographs were attractive, there were still noticeable mistakes in terms of anatomy and aesthetics.

"AI is not good at some things. I don't know why fingers and feet are beyond AI, it should be the easiest thing in the world to pick up but it's not," Baumbach said.

At a moment when AI is new, Childers hopes those who view the images will expand their "dream consciousness" and sensualities based on the male and female-inspired images. But Baumbach aspires to raise awareness of the potential AI offers artists and photographers.

"The everyday person need not be afraid, because it's controlled, what you put into it and what you get out of it," Baumbach said. "(AI) is still a data program, but it's a little bit smarter. It's already been used in packaged softwares to do things like create an invoice or an estimate. Is AI going to go out and take all the world banks down? No."

If you go

What: “AI Photography” exhibit by Michael Childers and Charles Baumbach

When: April 5 - May 10

Where: Melissa Morgan Fine Art, 73-660 El Paseo, Palm Desert

Cost: Free to view the art

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Coachella Valley photographer Michael Childers experimented with AI for upcoming exhibit

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