The Turd

Gas Station, Death Valley. Scanned from C Type contact print.

My first purchase of Photoshop was on a CD back when computers had a slot so you could also watch DVD’s. It was a straight forward affair. You just popped in the CD, downloaded the software, and then maybe gave the CD to someone else to download. Well maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, maybe I was originally given the CD by someone else. It was the 90’s and I don’t really remember. These days things are very different and everything is virtual and apparently in some cloud. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who upgraded their computer to find their 6 version of Photoshop could no longer be used and therefore had to rely on the workings of the cosmos and the newer constantly upgrading system. I liked the CS6 version, I liked the older versions. In fact, if I could still use the 03 version, I would, especially considering the most I do is a little bit of color alteration and maybe use the healing brush to remove a dog turd. This morning I upgraded to the latest 2024 version of Photoshop. It has taken Adobe 25 years to create this new monster and now there is no knowing where it will stop. I am of course talking about the new AI tool and in particular the constant pop up to remove the background and replace it with flowers, or a sunset, or a dog turd.

Technology has always set about to make people lazy in body and mind and this is really no different. I don’t fear AI one bit, I just like boundaries and making my own images.

Where will it go from here? Is it down to the lake I fear…