Will artificial intelligence change funeral photography?
Advances in digital technology mean that there are increasingly more options for preparing photographs for photoceramic production. Tools utilising artificial intelligence (AI) allow you to enhance the quality of photos, remove unwanted elements, change the background, and even restore sections that have been damaged or blurred.
These solutions can be particularly useful for old photographs, which are often the only available image of a loved one. However, not every photograph can be enhanced in the same way. Both the quality of the original and the extent of the changes we wish to make are important factors.
Improving the quality of old photographs
One of the most practical applications of AI is to enhance the quality of low-resolution photographs. This is particularly important for photographs intended for use in photo ceramics, as manufacturers often receive photographs taken many years ago.
Among other things, AI can reduce the visibility of noise, improve sharpness, increase resolution and enhance contrast. The programme analyses the elements in the photograph and, based on this, generates the additional information needed to produce a more detailed image.
Removing elements and changing the background
Another feature is the intelligent removal of unwanted elements. AI can recognise people in the background, objects or parts of the surroundings and replace them with a different background.
When preparing a photograph for a photo-ceramic, this can be useful if the photo contains several people, random elements or a background that does not match the chosen design.
Background replacement works in a similar way. The programme can automatically separate the subject from its surroundings and place it against a solid, gradient or generated background.
Photo: Possible gradient backgrounds.
SEE MORE READY-MADE BACKGROUND OPTIONS
Changing clothes
Photo: You may need to change your clothes.
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Reconstructing missing parts
One of the most interesting capabilities of AI is what is known as generative image completion. The programme can create a missing part of a photograph based on the elements surrounding it.
This can be helpful with older, damaged photographs where parts of clothing, the background or other elements are missing.
Limitations of artificial intelligence
Although the capabilities of artificial intelligence are constantly expanding, this does not mean that every photograph can be easily enhanced using it. AI works on the basis of the information it finds in the photograph. If the source material is of very poor quality or lacks essential elements, the programme can only predict what they might look like.
As a result, the generated section may look natural, but it will not necessarily correspond to reality. This is particularly important in the case of faces. If a person’s features are not clearly visible in the photograph, artificial intelligence can create a plausible version of them, but there is no way of verifying whether that is actually what the person looked like.
The same applies to altering clothing or reconstructing missing parts of the figure. The programme can generate an aesthetically pleasing and realistic image; however, part of such a photograph will be the result of the algorithm’s processing rather than an accurate representation of the person in the photograph.
Therefore, the greater the degree of manipulation of the photograph, the more important it becomes for a human to exercise control over the final result.
Can AI create a better photograph than the original?
Technically speaking – often yes. We can produce a sharper, more detailed photograph with improved lighting, a removed background or altered clothing. However, better technical quality does not always mean a better end result.
In the case of memorial photography, it is particularly important to preserve the person’s distinctive features. Excessive editing may make the photograph look more professional, but at the same time the image will bear less resemblance to the actual person.
AI is also unable to assess on its own whether a particular change is appropriate from the perspective of the family or the person commissioning the photo-ceramic. The algorithm may generate several options, but it is a human who decides which one best meets expectations.
This is precisely why artificial intelligence should not be treated as a substitute for the work of a graphic designer, but rather as another tool used in the process of preparing photographs.
AI will not replace graphic designers
AI will undoubtedly change the way we work with photography. It already enables us to carry out tasks that previously required a great deal of manual labour, and its capabilities are likely to be even greater in the future. Perhaps the greatest value of AI in memorial photography will be its ability to salvage photographs that were previously too damaged, blurred or incomplete to be used.
This does not, however, mean that artificial intelligence will replace the graphic designer. The technology can improve the quality of a photograph, remove the background or reconstruct a missing section, but it is a human who assesses the proportions, lighting, framing, likeness and, above all, the final result. In photo ceramics, the graphic designer’s experience remains indispensable – AI can be a tool for them, but it cannot replace their knowledge and judgement.
These solutions can be particularly useful for old photographs, which are often the only available image of a loved one. However, not every photograph can be enhanced in the same way. Both the quality of the original and the extent of the changes we wish to make are important factors.
Improving the quality of old photographs
One of the most practical applications of AI is to enhance the quality of low-resolution photographs. This is particularly important for photographs intended for use in photo ceramics, as manufacturers often receive photographs taken many years ago.
Among other things, AI can reduce the visibility of noise, improve sharpness, increase resolution and enhance contrast. The programme analyses the elements in the photograph and, based on this, generates the additional information needed to produce a more detailed image.
Removing elements and changing the background
Another feature is the intelligent removal of unwanted elements. AI can recognise people in the background, objects or parts of the surroundings and replace them with a different background.
When preparing a photograph for a photo-ceramic, this can be useful if the photo contains several people, random elements or a background that does not match the chosen design.
Background replacement works in a similar way. The programme can automatically separate the subject from its surroundings and place it against a solid, gradient or generated background.
Photo: Possible gradient backgrounds.
SEE MORE READY-MADE BACKGROUND OPTIONS
Changing clothes
Artificial intelligence can also help to change the clothes of the person in a photograph. The programme recognises the figure and, based on a command, generates a new item of clothing.
In the case of photo ceramics, this solution can be useful when the person in the photo provided is wearing an outfit that we would like to change, but we do not have another photograph that would allow us to achieve the right composition.
Photo: You may need to change your clothes.
SEE MORE READY-TO-WEAR OUTFITS
Reconstructing missing parts
One of the most interesting capabilities of AI is what is known as generative image completion. The programme can create a missing part of a photograph based on the elements surrounding it.
This can be helpful with older, damaged photographs where parts of clothing, the background or other elements are missing.
Limitations of artificial intelligence
Although the capabilities of artificial intelligence are constantly expanding, this does not mean that every photograph can be easily enhanced using it. AI works on the basis of the information it finds in the photograph. If the source material is of very poor quality or lacks essential elements, the programme can only predict what they might look like.
As a result, the generated section may look natural, but it will not necessarily correspond to reality. This is particularly important in the case of faces. If a person’s features are not clearly visible in the photograph, artificial intelligence can create a plausible version of them, but there is no way of verifying whether that is actually what the person looked like.
The same applies to altering clothing or reconstructing missing parts of the figure. The programme can generate an aesthetically pleasing and realistic image; however, part of such a photograph will be the result of the algorithm’s processing rather than an accurate representation of the person in the photograph.
Therefore, the greater the degree of manipulation of the photograph, the more important it becomes for a human to exercise control over the final result.
Can AI create a better photograph than the original?
Technically speaking – often yes. We can produce a sharper, more detailed photograph with improved lighting, a removed background or altered clothing. However, better technical quality does not always mean a better end result.
In the case of memorial photography, it is particularly important to preserve the person’s distinctive features. Excessive editing may make the photograph look more professional, but at the same time the image will bear less resemblance to the actual person.
AI is also unable to assess on its own whether a particular change is appropriate from the perspective of the family or the person commissioning the photo-ceramic. The algorithm may generate several options, but it is a human who decides which one best meets expectations.
This is precisely why artificial intelligence should not be treated as a substitute for the work of a graphic designer, but rather as another tool used in the process of preparing photographs.
AI will not replace graphic designers
AI will undoubtedly change the way we work with photography. It already enables us to carry out tasks that previously required a great deal of manual labour, and its capabilities are likely to be even greater in the future. Perhaps the greatest value of AI in memorial photography will be its ability to salvage photographs that were previously too damaged, blurred or incomplete to be used.
This does not, however, mean that artificial intelligence will replace the graphic designer. The technology can improve the quality of a photograph, remove the background or reconstruct a missing section, but it is a human who assesses the proportions, lighting, framing, likeness and, above all, the final result. In photo ceramics, the graphic designer’s experience remains indispensable – AI can be a tool for them, but it cannot replace their knowledge and judgement.