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Steve Paxton / Photos

Ai SMC

I have posted my comments and shots in our Facebook astro group you can see below and read. Needless to say the thoughts dont support Ai.

"As I am working in the SMC area and I keep getting Create image in my Google Chrome window so I thought why not to see if I am safe taking images or I quit and leave it all up to Ai. So I asked Ai create an image of the Small Megallenic Cloud. It duly did so but I did forget to get it to create the image in Narrow band you can see it has water marked the bottom right hand corner with a star. I have to say in all my years at looking into space and taking photos be it with a DSLR or an dedicated Astro camera I have never ever seen it look like this with any of my gear.
You can see the SMC taken by me that I am currently adding to the bottom of the main image. I am happy to say the two images are nothing a like at all, I know which is the real one. I am happy that I am still on my own with all the other nutters out there taking images of REAL SPACE targets.
So To Ai or not To Ai, me not I will continue in the very old fashion way. Thought I would share this with the group, keep up the good work keep posting images of space. We stand alone."

Small Magellanic Cloud Narrow band.

Small Magellanic CLoud NGC 292


Small Magellanic Cloud NGC292
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13 comments

Don Sutherland said:

Great series and information concerning your experiment with AI and Facebook commentary.
9 days ago

Steve Paxton replied to Don Sutherland:

I have to say all the work I put into the shots of space is it worth it or is it time to just give up and fold. Happily I can say I still enjoy space and its detail after seeing the Ai images , Ai has a place but not in deep space... all three of my images match Ai is not even close...................
9 days ago

William Sutherland said:

Incredible capture! If trying to use AI to create the actual shot, it's not going to be as good or yours. As for using AI to bring out the colors and focus, it can be a great help. NASA does it all the time.
9 days ago

Steve Paxton replied to William Sutherland:

Thankfully I dont rely on Ai to take my photos I grew up using a camera and understanding a camera. The digital age opened up a whole new door which is still very much the same for me learning to edit. I dont use auto this auto that, change back ground totally its all old school editing happy that way I am in control of my images. what I take is what you see.
9 days ago

tiabunna said:

A fascinating comparison series and commentary, Steve.
9 days ago ( translate )

Steve Paxton replied to tiabunna:

It was a bit of an eye opener but did sort of teach a very strong lesson. I am lucky I am old and learnt to take a photo and use a camera much like your self. Happy that way but still think the Ai is not done with the world yet.
9 days ago

*Уαɾα said:

Your photos aren't just better than the AI-generated image, and as you pointed out yourself, they're authentic!

AI is here to stay, Steve. But it can't and won't replace photos taken with heart and expertise - at least not yet, and perhaps never. That said, as William points out, AI can be useful for enhancing sharpness and color (as an alternative to traditional digital photo editing software).
8 days ago

Steve Paxton replied to *Уαɾα:

Thank you Ai has its place but it cant ever replace some one that has the passion and can not really be called a photo. A photo is captured with a camera sensor, a shutter realease button and a whole lot more knowledge its cant ever be generated. It was a real eye opener to see the image genereated by Ai certainly not at all what I expected. I am more than happy to keep going with all that I have learned over the long years.

Funny I was at a christerning on sunday part of our family that sat with us the 21 year old daughter you never guess what I bought but how do I use it 1950 camera. So it became a lesson only some who know how would be able to give. So much so I am happy to part with my Olympus OM2-N to see it get more use and all the lens I have this will make her life a whole lot easier. While I use my Nikon D810 and lens about 4 times as big and heavier than the Olympus but infinatly more usable in the right hands.
8 days ago

*Уαɾα replied to Steve Paxton:

We agree that AI-generated images aren't photos, Steve.

However, a label is circulating on ipernity that reads, “photographed by human not by AI.”
To raise or reinforce awareness of the difference between AI-generated images and photos, I posted this image with a corresponding caption, which you viewed on September 15, 2026.

For people who want to learn the basics of photography, a camera from the 1950s is a fantastic idea! :)
8 days ago

Steve Paxton replied to *Уαɾα:

Totaly agree I have had to dissallow Ai generated images in a "Photo group" way more than once, dont think I need to say more. Why I have started to say in the "About this group" this a photo group not an Ai group for those that think what ever they make is a photo.

I am happy to see some one want to learn the Hard/right way just how you take a photo correctly. Those rules those settings make the photo you cant do it right if you dont learn the basics. As I am old happy to see some one take up the challenge. Why I gave my grand daughter a 100% manual camera As a birthday present for her to learn. She passed the test beauifully.

.What NO Holy water - OUT OF ORDER !!!!!!! What HOPE have We Got.
8 days ago

trester88 said:

Steve, deine Astrofotos sind großartig und authentisch!
Das KI-generierte Bild ist wahrscheinlich reine Phantasie. Wenn du ein zweites Bild von der KI generieren lässt, bekommst du bestimmt ein anderes Bild, das mit dem ersten KI-Bild überhaupt nicht übereinstimmt.
Ich stimme mit dir überein, dass KI-Bilder nichts mit Fotografie zu tun haben.
5 days ago ( translate )

Steve Paxton replied to trester88:

Thank you some one who finally see it like it is, I have had to add to my groups "Not for Ai" as they are for photos . Happerly a photo has a shutter and a recorded image so it never compares to what a computer will try and generate. Ai is as you put it pure fantasy as it not a real image. I will try and justify the time I spend recording images of space as well worth the time as it cant be duplicated by Ai.
4 days ago

Annemarie said:

beautiful

Happy Friday and weekend.
4 days ago
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