Regarding Image Prompts

Creativity is new to me.

The reasons for that will become clear to me and my readers, I hope, over time.

Take, for example, the growing frustration I have at editing the shit out of everything I do.  I understand the need. I get it’s a learning process, practice makes perfect... I get it. But I’ve been doing a lot of it lately; and on some pretty heavy stuff. Verbal processing can be a bit draining. I need a break, I think. So, when I came back to the top to start a second round of edits, as I was preparing to whittle and chop some more away, I realize....

I don’t want to right now.

The below accurately reflects my views, even if that is done in a somewhat meandering way.  However, I wanted to write this because my conversation last night has been in my head all day.  I’m choosing to use this as an exercise in not letting my perfectionism and inner critic get the best of me.

It's a blog, not The New York Times.

So if you want to know the answer you’ll have to read the extra-long-warts-and-all version, here:

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Given how new this is for me, and given the very severe RSD that never seems to go away, not to mention the fucking brutal inner critic I’ve been saddled with-let’s not forget the need for external validation, either-I reached out to a dear and trusted friend with some experience in the creative world. He’s a friend from another time in my life that I was reconnected with during the lockdown.

He’s someone who’s photography I have always admired, and, from whom I had asked for some creative advice. When I reached out, naturally he offered to have a look at whatever I was working on, and he had some wonderful advice which I hadn’t considered.

Coincidentally, and unbeknownst to me, he’s been delving into AI art with his son, doing some really fun things that had never even crossed my mind.

He asked me about the prompts used to generate some of the AI imagery I’ve shared.

Errrr...

I knew this was a divisive topic when I decided to add the portfolio functionality. I knew I'd have to address it at some point.

My feelings on this are pretty mixed, let's explore it. I was honest with my friend last night, I’ll be honest here.

(Sorry, Eli!)

Although, I hope I manage more grace in this explanation, than I showed early hour this morning .

I need to talk about this separately from another even more divisive topic in this space. That means without getting into the debate--for now--as to whether these images, images like them, or the ideas and prompts behind them constitute art.  My feelings on that are a lot less mixed, but also a lot less cohesive, and that’s saying something. I have plans for posts around this on my list. Some of the healing stuff is a higher priority for me right now.

I have no interest in debating copyright law in relation to this topic right now, either.  Ibid.

So, sticking to the prompts then:

For the majority of the images posted at the time I’m writing this, as well as quite a lot I still have to sort through, the image prompts for Midjourney or DALL-E fall into one or several of the following categories.

• Really early prompt experimentation that is embarrassing for one reason or another;

• The prompt used a reference image I do not want to share;

• I don’t have the prompt available without more effort than I want to expend; or

• The prompt is lost entirely.

For the latter two - it saddens me not to have them, but it is what it is. When I started playing with those tools, I didn’t know they might have a larger part to play in my story, so I didn’t even try to keep track. There were soooooo many images, and soooooo many prompts. Especially back when I started.

In the case of the first two?

Sorry, not sorry.

The images were generated with paid subscriptions to the providers and, to the best of my knowledge and ability, are used and displayed in accordance with any EULA or other ToS in place with those providers. I don’t have to share the prompts, and so I will not. That’s one opinion I’m not seeking external validation on.

For the few of you I know that will truly bother, you’re perfectly welcome to spend your time elsewhere.

Future imagery I post may, or may not include the prompts.

As I’d mentioned, there is a pile of back catalog waiting to be sorted through, and unless I see something that makes me want to spend an hour or more hunting to find the prompt or seed for it, I’m just not going to do that.

If someone sees an image they’d like to use for a non-commercial purpose, I am willing to discuss sharing non-watermarked versions. Since I’m the source of it, and it’s ultimately tied to me, I’d want to know what was being used, and what it was being used for. That means licensing or other agreements, aaaaaaannnnddddd we said we’d stay away from the copyright stuff.

For images I generate from now forward, it just depends. I don’t want to get into tutorials and things--but posts describing a thought process, or methodology for obtaining specific elements, etc--are in my plans for this site.

Those will have prompts with them, for obvious reasons.

For anything else, I’m just going to have to play it by ear. If you don’t see a prompt, I likely didn’t want to share it. You can always ask, but I probably won’t justify my decisions beyond this post.

And before you start breaking my chops about “prompt hoarding” .... I don’t consider it that. But this post is too long, and it’s too late in the day to take that on.

Crossing The Threshold, created by the author using DALL-E. Prompt in Alt Text.

Did I mention that creativity is new to me?

I’m 45; isn’t that strange? I think so. At least when I try to figure out the reasons.

If you want to join me in exploring them, or about learning why I find these tools so fascinating and helpful, stick around for more.

Right now, though, I’ve got to head out to Shmoocon with my daughter.

Back to the healing work.

Vaya con dios.