Thierry Maindrault’s Monthly Cogitations
This photographer is Nobody. More precisely, this photographer in decline is all of us. At the end of the fighting, he will remain an Unknown Photographer and, why not, celebrated as such. In a way, a symbol of all of us, disappearing without posterity, gone because of the assumed laziness of the new editors. The mentions of the credit have become rather epitaphs, limited to the version “ rights reserved” or “unknown”. Move on young people, it has been a few years since there has been anything more to see. History, or rather the pastiches of history, are indeed a perpetual resumption. So no reason not to continue on this path! Photography suffers from financial difficulties following the dilution of copyright in the meanders of the communication systems, with the suppression of income for the authors. But, there is a much greater danger, and a much more pernicious one than the loss of economic rights, on our creations. The pure and simple engulfment that is organized of moral rights deemed inalienable.
The patrimonial rights of an artwork of the mind are extinguished illegally with the immoderate diffusion of images (same for texts and sounds), through the multitude of ways on internet. This pillaging without prior authorizations, which are in principle obligatory, is done without the compensation provided through rights that became collective and are sprinkled at random. This situation inexorably leads to an impoverishment of creation by the progressive asphyxiation of authors.
But, there is a much more worrying fact that is taking shape extremely quickly, I want to mention the spoliation of the moral rights of authors and their legatees. As emphasized above, for several years now, the signature or credit of authors has been, more or less regularly, forgotten, neglected, ignored, or even voluntarily, blurred. Now, anyone is starting to help themselves, happily and shamelessly. Of course, without citing the creator and without respecting the artwork in all its aspects (objective and immaterial). Once again, the arrival of massive communication systems, associated with gigantic data storage, facilitates this phenomenon of borrowing various works. The criminal non-compliance with prior authorization, on a global scale, accentuates this phenomenon of theft and spoliation. While a largen Mass in Paris was held this week on so-called artificial pseudo-intelligence (which is still and in fact only a serial of primary switches in structured diagrams), it is useful to draw attention to this kind of massive industrialization of pillaging, without faith or law. This aspect of the evolution of tools somewhat counteracts the miraculous aspect of the enticing label “AI” placed on an evolution that began years ago and which logically continues in its evolution.
Do not hope to see me massively reject the effective improvement of all our work tools, using the new capacities of information processing and the speed of the return of actions. Technological evolution allows, through the miniaturized power of the materials developed and the speed of circulation of information, to improve, quantitatively and qualitatively, a multitude of operations. All this work existed and was already implemented previously; however, in less efficient conditions of precision and time.
For our photography, almost since its creation, numerous users have tried to control the impact of light on the sensitive surface and to model the results to obtain their own images. Photographic collages with multiple characters, the double impact of light in a solarization, clipping to provide an external background, retouching negative dust, changing the identity of subjects, have been part of the work of many photographers since the end of the 19th century.
Then, over the years, techniques have evolved in order to obtain the same results in faster conditions and improved renderings. The arrival of digital has only allowed an evolution in the speed of execution and the rendering of the work. It is interesting to note that pseudo-artificial intelligence, which is suddenly much talked about, has existed for a some years in the field of photography, as in many other sectors of activity.
All these new developments are very positive, if we consider that they allow the achievement of objectives, in improved conditions. This improvement in the performance of tools has always been an asset for man on the express condition that he is always behind the decisions. To be master of the procedures, implemented, remains essential to evaluate and anticipate the various consequences.
As long as the user is at the helm in order to determine the objectives and measure their impacts, their repercussions, with real responsibility, we remain within the framework of an improvement in work management. The question will surely arise, especially in activities other than ours, as soon as the operation of the tool will pass from the responsibility of one person to a collective implementation, by definition irresponsible.
Let’s forget the philosophical aspect to return to our photographic sheep.
Here we are, thanks to digital production, in a world that wants to be perfect. From our camera that offers, when it does not impose, the ideal parameters of a flawless shot. With transfers of the photo files in a short moment, on to our computer screen.
Also, the new interventions of our software, already very sophisticated, offering us a series of pre-programmed sequences that transform our already exceptional photos into sublime images. Everyone can only be amazed by the results obtained. It becomes obvious that the calculation of the depth of field, the adjustment of the diaphragm, the light temperature, the reading of the light meter, the adjustment of the speed, the framing of the shot, the development of the film, the adjustment of the enlarger, the exposure time, the density of products, the glazing of the gelatin, and many other things in this poetic list, are fading and disappearing. No one is going to complain about it; except that some authors are still obliged to follow this long path (sometimes partially) to obtain the desired results. There are results that are impossible to generate with the most modern means, tomorrow perhaps; but not yet today.
The fact remains that things will go wrong with the dark side of this evolution that will revolutionize our lives. We have just seen that the use is wonderful, and it is true. As long as the instrument will help me realize my image, from three of my shots, to do what I want with it, everything is perfect. But, with the financial interests that are still not very far away, the pseudo-authors of the new style are intellectually incapable of making a basic shot to satisfy their frozen creativity. The multinationals, well-intentioned, simply offer them to go and dig into the monstrous mountain of redundant data stored in the four corners of the planet. The tools of this research (second part of the digital evolution) easily compensate for the impossibility of our little geniuses to find anything. The hunt for other people’s creations and systematic data thefts give these scoundrels the opportunity to create assemblages for which they claim exclusive paternity. What is a little annoying is that imaginative and hard-working creators will eventually give up, to ensure their survival, on the one hand. On the other hand, the thugs who engage in this exercise considerably weaken the little brainpower they may have left.
The calculator made us lose mathematical logic, GPS clouded our sense of direction, search engines are atomizing our memories. Who benefits from this systematic and objective weakening of human intelligence? Certainly not another intelligence, even if one day it becomes truly artificial!
My last meeting, with Vivian Maier’s exhibition, made me want to get out my old “Rollei”, there is still so much to find and do, before falling into childishness.
Thierry Maindrault, February 14, 2025
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