Inspiration

I’ve long dreamed of selling everything (except my Mac and digital camera gear) and embracing a digital nomad lifestyle.

I found the image below on Susan T. Braithwaite’s website. Here’s what inspired Susan to create this image.

As with many writers, the thought of being able to write without the constant distractions of everyday life is something I dream about. Being able to completely immerse myself in my world of romantic suspense, free from mundane responsibilities…

The fantasy of a wee campervan transformed into a roving office also flits through my mind. Imagine jumping in the van and heading off to inspiring locales, penning stories against the backdrop of nature or bustling cityscapes.

Image generated by DALL-E
Image generated by DALL-E

I uploaded it to ChatGPT and asked for a description. ChatGPT responded:

This photograph depicts a serene scene with a vintage camper van parked in a woodland area during what appears to be a sunset. The van's side door is open, revealing a cosy interior with bookshelves, a small desk, and a chair, resembling a compact mobile office or study. Outside the van, there is a typewriter on a small table and books scattered around, suggesting a creative or scholarly pursuit amidst nature. A lantern hangs on the van's side mirror, and another is placed on the ground, enhancing the warm, ambient glow of the scene. The path and the trees are bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, adding to the tranquil and inviting atmosphere of the setting.

I then asked ChatGPT to use the description it had just provided to create a DALL-E prompt to create a new image. Here is the detailed prompt used for the DALL-E generation:

A vintage camper van is parked in a peaceful woodland area during sunset. The side door of the van is open, revealing an interior setup with bookshelves, a small desk, and a chair, creating an impression of a cosy mobile study space. Outside, a typewriter rests on a small table with books around it, suggesting a space for writing and reading amidst nature. A lantern hangs from the van’s side mirror, and another stands on the ground, both emitting a warm light. The surrounding trees are illuminated by the golden hues of the setting sun, contributing to the serene and welcoming environment.

The result.

DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.30.03 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.30.03 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.

I asked DALL-E to create a few variations using the same prompt.

DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.30.45 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.30.45 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.32.21 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.32.21 - A vintage camper van parked in a tranquil woodland setting during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.20.52 - A vintage camper van is parked in a peaceful woodland area during sunset.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 10.20.52 - A vintage camper van is parked in a peaceful woodland area during sunset.

I had a lot of fun with this. It was so much fun that I exceeded the daily maximum number of images for DALL-E!

I’ve long dreamed of selling everything (except my Mac and digital camera gear) and embracing a digital nomad lifestyle alongside my wife, Bhavna. I imagine sitting in the quiet glow of a campfire beside an Airstream camper van parked under a star-studded sky. The crackling flames mirrored the spark in Bhavna's eyes. We'd wander through the vast landscapes of the Americas from Canada to Costa Rica, from the rugged Rockies to the serene coastlines of Patagonia, our laptops connecting us to a world of opportunities. With each sunrise, a new adventure. I would work on information technology projects from the heart of nature, my office changing with the seasons. We'd capture the beauty of every place through my photography, creating memories that last a lifetime. Just thinking about it, I feel the wanderlust pulling me closer to a dream I hope will become our reality.

I was inspired by Susan’s original prompt to write a new prompt to create my own imaginary dream space. I used variations of the following prompt.

During sunrise, an Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland area. The van’s side door is open, revealing an interior setup with a two-person bed, creating an impression of a cosy mobile bedroom space. Outside, an open Apple MacBook and a compact ILC mirrorless camera rest on a small table with a chair, suggesting a space for writing and photo editing amidst nature. A camera backpack and open tripod are on the ground just outside the side door to the camper van. The surrounding tropical trees are illuminated by the golden hues of the rising sun, contributing to the serene and welcoming environment. Generate a large 3:2 ratio image.

DALL·E 2024-01-07 08.58.59 - During sunrise, an Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland area.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 08.58.59 - During sunrise, an Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland area.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.22.08 - During sunrise, a large Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.22.08 - During sunrise, a large Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.15.17 - A peaceful sunrise in a tropical woodland setting with an Airstream camper van parked among the trees.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.15.17 - A peaceful sunrise in a tropical woodland setting with an Airstream camper van parked among the trees.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.14.32 - A peaceful sunrise in a tropical woodland, with an Airstream camper van parked among the trees.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.14.32 - A peaceful sunrise in a tropical woodland, with an Airstream camper van parked among the trees.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.12.50 - During sunrise, an Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland area.
DALL·E 2024-01-07 09.12.50 - During sunrise, an Airstream camper van is parked in a peaceful tropical woodland area.

So, what’s the greatest gift someone can give me? Inspiration. Thank you, Susan T. Braithwaite!!

From what I've learned about U.S. copyright laws, artwork created entirely by AI, without any human input, can't be copyrighted. My conversation with DALL-E suggests that things are more complicated.

To be clear:

I, Khürt Williams, hereby release all of my images created using DALL·E under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). This means that anyone is free to share, copy, redistribute, and adapt these images, even commercially, as long as they provide appropriate credit to me, indicate if changes were made, and distribute any modified material under the same license as the original. By applying the CC BY-SA 4.0 license to my DALL·E-created images, I am promoting open and accessible use of these works, while ensuring that I am credited for my original creation.

Juniper Berry Banquet

Overlooked commonplace backyard residents feasting on juniper

As Spring sweeps in New Jersey, my enthusiasm for photography rises. I especially enjoy photographing tropical migratory birds like Warblers. These vibrant coloured tourists travel from Costa Rica and the Caribbean to the woodlands of New Jersey, offering a photographic buffet.

In my quest to photograph these elusive tropical birds, I've often overlooked the more quotidian birds that are easier to find in New Jersey. This happens due to familiarity, where I become so accustomed to seeing or experiencing something that I no longer actively notice it. It's a common psychological phenomenon associated with the concept of 'inattentional blindness', where our focus on distinctive aspects of our environment leads us to overlook others, even if they are obvious or familiar. This tendency to overlook the familiar is a common human challenge, as it can lead to missing out on the beauty and importance of everyday experiences or subjects.

The juniper trees in my backyard, predating the construction of our home 20 years ago, only grabbed my attention recently. One morning, the energetic chirping of birds drew my eye to the branches. I could see many birds hopping between the branches and flying between the Juniper and the woodland beyond the fence line. Peeking through my XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR telephoto lens, I was captivated, seeing various types of birds feasting on the berries.

That morning, I observed not only the American Robin but also Bluebirds, Juncos, and Sparrows. However, the American Robin stood out with its round body, long legs, and striking orange chest. There were far more of them than any other type of bird. Their melodic song filled the early morning in our backyard, providing a delightful soundtrack to my birdwatching.

The adaptability of the American Robin is impressive. They flourish even in suburban settings like Montgomery Township. They often nest along the roof near the bends in our home's water drains.

With their regular diet of earthworms and insects dwindling, the American Robin shifts to fruits and berries during the late Autumn and Winter months. Juniper berries and other backyard offerings like holly and dogwood are essential to their diet. These become critical for their survival and energy, particularly those gearing up for their migratory travels.

In this shift of seasons, there's a lesson in adaptability and resilience from these winged beauties.

Film Photography Project RetroChrome 400 Color Slide Film - Expired

I think I have wasted enough money on expired 35mm films.

I think I have wasted enough money on expired 35mm films. The recent experience exposing an expired roll of Kodak GT 800-4 35mm film was disappointing. My [first time exposing a 35mm roll of Film Photography Project (FPP) RetroChrome 400] Color Slide Film was a couple of years ago using an Asahi Spotmaic II. At the time, I was relearning film photography, and I blamed myself and my camera for the crappy result. This time I know that the problem is not me. The problem is not my camera. It’s the film.

Ok, I admit that the decision to use this film is mine and that I did not carefully read the literature on the Film Photography Project website.

RetroChrome is government surplus High Speed Eastman Ektachrome color positive film/daylight balanced.

The film is cold-stored 2004 expired. The film performs excellent at its intended box speed of 400 iso which leads us to believe that this film has been stored in the “deep freeze” for the past decade.

Argh!!!!

I like the look of Kodak Ektachrome E100G, a roll of which I exposed for the first time a few years ago. I think I underexposed that first roll, but the results were still quite good. Ektachrome E100 is a color reversal camera film known for its beautiful color. Like most slide films, it has a super fine grain, rich saturated colour, and is excellent for daylight exposures.

On the other hand, the grainy, washed-out colours of FPP RetroChrome 400 with grey shadows devoid of detail was disappointing. I shot this film at box speed in bright daylight on a winter afternoon, but the frames appear as if they are underexposed. Had I known this, I would have maybe exposed set my XD-11 to expose at ISO 300 or 200.

It is not at all what I had expected. Furthermore, FPP RetroChrome 400 is expensive, almost as expensive as Ektachrome. I can understand that some people may like the look of FPP RetroChrome 400. I don’t know why?

I have made a decision. I will carefully read the notes for any 35mm film I purchase going forward. I will not buy any more expired 35mm films. I like predictable results.

Name FPP RetroChrome 400.
Type Colour (reversal)
Native ISO 400
Format 35mm
Process E-6
Lab Boutique Film Labs
Scanner Epson Perfection V600
Software SilverFast 9 SE
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400
12 December, 2021 | Minolta XD-11 | MD ROKKOR-X 50mm F1.7 | FPP RetroChrome 400