"Exposure" Discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of photography
Sharjah, February 1st, 2017 (WAM) – The tenth edition of the International Photography Festival “Xposure”, which is organized by the Sharjah Government Media Office in the Aljada area and continues until February 4th, witnessed a specialized discussion session presented by the British photographer and trainer, Pete Muller, under the title “Is Artificial Intelligence just a development?”
The session discussed the impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on the future of the photograph, and Muller presented a vision that considers technology an advancement in tools and not a substitute for human vision and human creativity.
He stressed that humanity has gone through similar turning points, such as the transition from drawing to photography, then from darkrooms to digital editing, pointing out that the fundamental question here is not whether artificial intelligence threatens us, but rather how we redefine creativity in its light.
Mueller presented a personal experience in which he used artificial intelligence to animate his still images in a short visual work, explaining that this approach helped him expand the scope of his business and strengthened customers’ confidence in his ability to keep pace with technical transformations.
Muller stressed that artificial intelligence will create new specializations in the world of photography that did not exist before. However, he stressed the need to link the use of these technologies to clear ethical standards that include issues of intellectual property, rights of use, and the concept of consent, warning that the absence of regulatory frameworks may turn artificial intelligence into a complex problem that threatens the rights of creators.
“Xposure 2026” witnessed the Middle East premiere of the investigative documentary “Trade Secret,” one of the most prominent cinematic works that lifts the lid on the complex networks that govern the global wildlife trade.
He pointed out that “Trade Secret” is an investigative documentary film filmed over a period of six years in nine countries and follows the journey of journalists, activists and guides in the Arctic regions to uncover the hidden global trade in polar bear skins.
The film was shown in a number of prestigious international film festivals and won the “Golden Panda” award for best independent film at the “Wild Screen” Festival, confirming its artistic and documentary value and providing an example of the role of investigative film in stimulating international debate about protection and trade policies and the limits of the image’s influence in bringing about change.
During a dialogue session, the Iraqi-American photojournalist, Salwan Girgis, reviewed his experiences in “Stories of Human Resilience,” and among the most important things he covered were the lives of refugees, as he documented the lives of Iraqis and Arabs in the diaspora, “especially in Detroit,” and he carried out extensive field coverage in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and the Corona pandemic.
American documentary photojournalist Diane Fitzmaurice, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, revealed during a session entitled “Conversation: Heart of the Lion – Saleh’s Story” an exceptional professional and humanitarian experience through her project “Heart of the Lion,” which documented the recovery journey of an Iraqi child after being injured during the Iraq War within a long-term documentary project that spanned more than two decades. The photographer described that journey as one of the most difficult moral challenges she has faced in her professional career.
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