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Mitchel Lensink

Systemic thinker, photographer, writer.
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members-only post Closer

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.
Mitchel Lensink

by Mitchel Lensink

The image shared with ChatGPT as input.
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This weekly experiment is on an indefinite hold, until significant AI-advancements have been made.

Curious about the conclusions? Read Photography in the Age of AI (2025): Lessons From 25 Weeks of Experimentation

Read now

Welcome to Closer,

A weekly experiment in AI interpretation: I share a photo, ask AI to describe it, then generate an image from that description. This is edition #017. Prompts are in grey boxes. Descriptions are in italics.

Chat gave me six different Prompt Styles and we're trying them all on the same image over the upcoming weeks. The first week was hilariously bad, the second week was uneventful, the third week made me question the continued value of this newsletter. Is that feeling reaffirmed or deflected this week?

A quick word from our SPONSOR, which is.... you?

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LLM models used

GPT-4o for prompt engineering, image interpretation, and image generation.

The input with Prompt Style: Haiku + Description

Purpose: Contrast formality and feeling — great for newsletter rhythm.

✍️
Write a haiku inspired by this image, followed by a factual description of the scene.
The image shared with ChatGPT as input.
The image shared with ChatGPT as input.

The output

Haiku
Warm waves hold laughter,
Two wet dogs, a man, and joy—
Salt and sun collide.

Factual Description
In the image, a man wearing sunglasses, a visor, and a blue flotation sleeve is in the ocean with two Labrador Retrievers. They are near a white motorboat with dual Suzuki outboard engines and an American flag flying from its roof. The mood is relaxed and joyful, suggesting a leisurely day spent swimming and boating. The calm, turquoise water and the gentle sky enhance the serene and playful atmosphere.

✍️
Generate an image with an aspect ratio of 3:2 based on this description: {the description previously generated}
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