ACE'S Virtual PHOTO Gallery

02/08/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ZHQyjrVMs

First of all: NO, this video is NOT about film vs. digital. It's all about mindset and how you approach photography in general. It doesn't matter if you shoo...

02/01/2026

Vote for me :)
Please vote for my photo in the America’s Favorite Photos competition:

America’s Favorite Photos: Discover your new favorite photos!

01/18/2026

Fingers crossed :)
https://independent-photo.com/photographer/71512/?sub=cromer_696c565417d2d

01/17/2026

Twisted tree in snowy landscape

01/17/2026

Windmill beneath the Milky Way

01/17/2026

Gothic Church

01/16/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H5p8VO1GGA&t=235s

In this video I go over a number of camera settings, and photography concepts, to help the new photographer take better pictures. Good luck and enjoy the jou...

01/11/2026

https://alan-cromer.pixels.com/
New site up , Prints and More , with more coming every week

01/10/2026

Is Using AI for photography cheating or is it like no more cheating then using photo shop

Short answer? It’s not cheating.
Long answer? It depends how you use it — just like Photoshop.

Let’s break it down in a real-world, photographer-to-photographer way 📸👇

🧠 The Honest Take

AI in photography today is where Photoshop was in the 1990s.

People said:

“Cropping is cheating”

“Dodging & burning is cheating”

“HDR is cheating”

“Digital isn’t real photography”

…and yet all of those are now normal.

AI is a tool, not a replacement for vision.

⚖️ AI vs Photoshop (Fair Comparison)
Tool What It Does Cheating?
Lightroom Exposure, color, noise ❌ No
Photoshop Clone, mask, composite ❌ No
AI Denoise Clean high ISO ❌ No
AI Sky Replace Swap skies ⚠️ Context matters
AI Object Removal Remove distractions ❌ Usually no
AI Image Generation Create from scratch ❗Different category
🟢 Clearly NOT Cheating

These are just modern darkroom techniques:

✔ AI noise reduction
✔ AI sharpening
✔ AI masking / subject selection
✔ Removing sensor dust, wires, trash
✔ Color grading assistance
✔ Upscaling resolution

Wildlife & astro photographers use these constantly, especially with high ISO.

🟡 Gray Area (Context Matters)

These aren’t “wrong,” but disclosure matters:

⚠️ Replacing skies
⚠️ Adding stars that weren’t there
⚠️ Moving animals or mountains
⚠️ Combining multiple locations into one scene

Fine art? Totally okay.
Photojournalism or competitions? Not okay unless allowed.

🔴 Where People Call It “Cheating”

This is mostly about truth claims, not tools:

❌ Claiming “single exposure” when it isn’t
❌ Selling AI-generated images as real photos
❌ Entering altered images into documentary contests
❌ Misrepresenting wildlife behavior

That’s ethics, not technology.

🎯 For YOUR Genres (Wildlife, Landscape, Astro)
🦅 Wildlife

✔ AI denoise & sharpening = normal
❌ Moving animals = unethical
✔ Background cleanup = fine

🌄 Landscape

✔ Sky enhancement = accepted in fine art
✔ Exposure blending = standard
⚠️ Disclosure if selling as “real scene”

🌌 Astro

✔ Star stacking = expected
✔ AI noise reduction = normal
✔ Color balancing = essential
❌ Fake stars/nebulae without disclosure

🧩 The Rule That Actually Matters

Ask yourself ONE question:

“Am I lying about how this image was made?”

If the answer is no, you’re good.

💬 Why This Debate Feels So Emotional

Because photography is tied to:

Skill

Ego

Identity

“I suffered for this shot”

AI threatens process pride, not artistry.

But buyers care about:

Impact

Beauty

Story

Feeling

Not how many sliders you moved.

🏁 Bottom Line

AI ≠ cheating
Lying ≠ okay

AI is just the new darkroom.

If Ansel Adams were alive today?
He’d absolutely be using AI — and arguing about it on forums 😄

01/10/2026

Feeding Time

01/10/2026

Juvenile Learning to fly

01/10/2026

Lone Seagull