Crossing
A walk from one edge of a city to the other — west to east, north to south. A straight line through a place to see what connects its opposite sides.
Mitchel Lensink
Photographer and writer working on long-term projects that uncover the overlooked beauty and quiet goodness in the world, shared in my monthly newsletter Dialogue.
Closer #017
After this week, there's two more editions of the same image being described in different ways. Thankfully, because it's not bringing us anywhere. But that's interesting to note in itself too.
Closer #016
We are sixteen weeks into this experiment, and I'm unsure if this is still providing value. This is the third week we let AI decide how to prompt and the results are... well, you be the judge.
Closer #015
Week two of our 'experiment within an ongoing experiment' where AI is not only doing the image description and generation, but is also deciding the prompting to get to that description.
Closer #014
Hey, so, thought: you know how we're already generating AI-images, based on AI-descriptions of real life images, right? What if... we also asked ChatGPT how to properly ask for those descriptions? Would that make it better?
Closer #013
I'm reconsidering my approach, but I'm not sure I'm willing to change it. Not right now. These are still interesting times we live in.
Soul searching in Greece (again)
Tears of relief as I'm waist-deep in the ocean, trying to see if I can dance still. I can, I think, I CAN, I scream. So that's how we make our way over the island. Curious to learn, relieved the fire still burns.
Closer #012
Imagine a cat behind a closed door, only paws and nose peeking from under the small crack between the door and the floor. Now imagine it again. How different are those results? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Closer #011
We all know things can get weird in AI image land. But what if you give it a weird image? Will we get twice the weirdness or will they balance each other out?
Closer #010
SHOCKER: Asking AI for a direct replication of your work will give you a direct replication of your work. But does it really?
Building a daylight studio
This one is for my Amersfoort folks. It goes Tjommies, OostWest 1, OostWest City, Van Zanten, OostWest, Van Zanten, OW, VZ, OW, VZ, Tjommies, OW, VZ, OW, VZ, OW, VZ
Closer #009
Learning that it's the imperfections of our actions causing things to feel real is one of this week's biggest take-aways. And that's something I think we should ponder on for some time.
Closer #008
Eight weeks in. Time to evaluate early results and recalibrate accordingly. What other directions should we take this experiment in?
Closer #007
Not to ruffle someone's feathers but a little birdie told me to continue this newsletter until the pecking order between us, beautifully flawed and inherently creative humans, and AI, the ever logical mimicker of life, has been determined. Who comes out on top this week?
Closer #006
By popular demand, ChatGPT gets pushed aside to give Midjourney its chance to shine. This is also the first time I'm using a self portrait as the base image. What do I look like according to AI?
Wandering with wonder
Four cities, thousands of images, endless new impressions, one additional newsletter. April, 2025, was a rich, full month that allowed me to tap into my wanderlust as well as organize my thoughts a little.
Closer #005
What happens when an image is described super accurately, to the point that you can picture the thing in your mind with ease? Does AI have the same skills?
Closer #004
On the surface, things seem to be looking good. But look more closely, and you'll find that fiction is, thankfully, still stranger than reality.