Using Midjourney AI to create a Product Photo for my Client!

Amanda Campeanu
4 May 202309:09

TLDRThe video discusses the integration of AI in the field of product photography, emphasizing its potential as a tool for innovation rather than a job replacement. The speaker shares their experience using Midjourney AI to create a unique 'lavender Dreamscape' for a client, detailing the process from conceptualization to final product. They used prompts and inspiration from images to guide the AI in generating a background, then photographed the actual product and composited it into the AI-generated scene. The video encourages embracing AI as a creative tool, highlighting the necessity of human creativity, photography skills, and post-production expertise to achieve a natural and compelling final image. The speaker is optimistic about the future of AI in enhancing the work of photographers, rather than replacing them.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 AI is being discussed as a potential game-changer in product photography, but it's seen as a tool to enhance creativity rather than replace human work.
  • 📈 Incorporating AI can help product photographers stand out by creating unique and original work in a field that often sees repetitive styles.
  • 📸 The speaker used AI to generate a themed product photo for a client, following a tutorial by Martin Butvidson, and was successful in blending AI with real product photography.
  • 🌐 Midjourney, an AI tool, can take inspiration from URL links to JPEG photos, which can greatly assist in creating desired visuals.
  • 💡 The process of using AI in product photography involves generating a background, shooting the product in real life, and then compositing the two together.
  • 🔍 The speaker found it beneficial to use images from Pinterest as inspiration for Midjourney to generate the desired AI visuals.
  • 🎨 AI can generate a variety of images based on prompts, requiring the photographer to have a clear creative vision and the ability to refine the AI's output.
  • 📝 A deep understanding of lighting and photo editing skills is crucial to make the composited image look natural and well-integrated.
  • ⏱ Despite the use of AI, the process is still time-consuming and requires multiple iterations and a keen eye for detail.
  • 🚀 The speaker encourages embracing AI and learning how to use it as a creative tool, as it can make photographers more valuable in a rapidly evolving field.
  • 🌟 The final product was well-received by the client, and the speaker is excited to continue exploring AI-generated photos for future projects.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the discussion in the transcript?

    -The main topic of the discussion is the use of AI in product photography and how it can be incorporated as a tool to innovate and create unique work, rather than replacing human photographers.

  • What is the speaker's opinion on the impact of AI on product photography jobs?

    -The speaker believes that AI will not take over product photography jobs. Instead, it will become an incredible tool that photographers can use to enhance their work and stand out in the industry.

  • What was the reason the speaker decided to use AI for a client's product photo?

    -The client wanted a lavender Dreamscape theme for the product photo, which the speaker felt would be difficult to create in real life. This presented an opportunity to explore AI as a solution to bring the theme to life.

  • How did the speaker use Midjourney to generate the AI photo?

    -The speaker used Midjourney by providing specific prompts and also by inputting URL links to JPEG photos for the AI to take inspiration from. They experimented with different prompts and variations to generate the desired background.

  • What was the process like for integrating the actual product into the AI-generated background?

    -After generating the background, the speaker shot the actual product in real life, used software to line up the product with the AI-generated image, and then composited the real product onto the AI image. This required understanding of lighting and Photoshop skills to blend the elements naturally.

  • What was the speaker's final verdict on using AI for product photography?

    -The speaker was very satisfied with the result and believes that AI can be a valuable tool for product photographers. They plan to continue exploring AI-generated photos for clients and staying at the forefront of learning about AI in photography.

  • How did the speaker use Pinterest in the process of creating the AI photo?

    -The speaker found an image on Pinterest that helped communicate the desired look for the AI photo. They input the URL of this image into Midjourney to take inspiration from it.

  • What was the aspect ratio used for the final AI-generated photo?

    -The aspect ratio used for the final AI-generated photo was 9x16.

  • What tutorial did the speaker follow to help with the process of integrating the product into the AI photo?

    -The speaker followed a tutorial by Martin Butvidson, which they found on YouTube and linked in the description box.

  • What was the speaker's initial concern when considering using AI for the product photo?

    -The speaker was concerned about whether the AI-generated photo would work and if the client would be satisfied with the result, given it was their first attempt at creating an AI photo for a paid project.

  • How did the speaker address the challenge of matching the lighting between the AI-generated background and the real product?

    -The speaker shot the actual product in real life and used software features like the overlay to ensure the shadow and angle matched perfectly with the AI-generated product hub.

  • What advice does the speaker give to other photographers regarding the use of AI?

    -The speaker advises other photographers not to be afraid of AI but to embrace it. They encourage learning how to use AI as a creative tool and to have fun with it, as it can help photographers create unique work and become more valuable in the industry.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Embracing AI in Product Photography

The speaker discusses the impact of AI on product photography, expressing optimism about AI as a tool for innovation and uniqueness in the field. They share their experience of using AI to create a 'lavender Dreamscape' for a client, which would have been challenging to achieve without AI. The speaker details their process using Mid Journey, a tool accessible via Discord, to generate the background of the photo. They also mention using prompts and URL links to JPEG photos for inspiration. The video includes a tutorial from Martin Butvidson, which is linked in the description for viewers to try AI themselves.

05:00

🎨 AI-Generated Backgrounds and Real Product Integration

The speaker continues by explaining the steps they took to integrate a real product into an AI-generated background. They used a tool called Mid Journey to create a background first, followed by shooting the actual product and using software like Caption One to align the product with the AI-generated scene. The process required a deep understanding of lighting to ensure the product matched the AI scene. The speaker emphasizes that despite the use of AI, skills in photography and photo editing are still crucial. They conclude by encouraging viewers to experiment with AI, learn, and have fun with it, positioning it as a tool to stay ahead in the industry rather than a job replacement.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is used to generate product photography backgrounds, which is a new and innovative approach to creating unique and original work. The video discusses how AI can be an incredible tool for product photographers to stand out in a field where many images are starting to look the same.

💡Product Photography

Product photography is a genre of photography that focuses on capturing images of products for promotional or commercial use. It is essential for e-commerce, advertising, and marketing. In the video, the speaker discusses the incorporation of AI into product photography to innovate and create more distinctive and thematic images that can help photographers and their clients stand out in a competitive market.

💡Midjourney AI

Midjourney AI is a tool used in the video to generate the background of a product photo. It is an example of how AI can be used creatively in the field of photography. The tool allows users to input prompts and can take inspiration from URL links to JPEG photos, generating images that can be used as a starting point for a product photographer's work. In the video, the photographer uses Midjourney AI to create a 'lavender Dreamscape' background that would be difficult to achieve in real life.

💡Photorealism

Photorealism is a style of art where the artwork resembles a high-resolution photograph. In the context of the video, photorealism is a desired outcome when using AI to generate images. The speaker mentions 'photorealism' in the prompt given to Midjourney AI to ensure that the generated image closely resembles a real-life scene, which is crucial for integrating the actual product into the AI-generated background seamlessly.

💡Studio Lighting

Studio lighting refers to the use of artificial light sources in a controlled environment to illuminate a subject or scene. It is a critical aspect of photography that can greatly affect the mood and quality of an image. The video script mentions 'studio lighting' in the context of creating a realistic product photo where the lighting on the AI-generated background matches the lighting of the real product, ensuring a cohesive and professional final image.

💡Octane Render

Octane Render is a GPU-accelerated rendering software used for creating high-quality 3D graphics. In the video, 'Octane render' is mentioned as a tool for achieving photorealistic studio lighting effects, which is an important aspect of making the AI-generated background and the real product appear as if they were photographed together under the same lighting conditions.

💡Discord

Discord is a popular communication platform designed for creating communities through text, voice, and video. In the video, the speaker mentions operating Midjourney AI via Discord, indicating that it is used as a platform to interact with the AI tool and generate the desired images. Discord is chosen for its ease of use and community-building features, which can facilitate collaboration and sharing of creative work.

💡JPEG

JPEG is a commonly used method of lossy compression for digital images, which reduces the file size to something more manageable without completely degrading the image quality. In the video, the photographer uses JPEG photos as a source of inspiration for Midjourney AI by inputting the URLs of these images, allowing the AI to generate backgrounds that are influenced by the style and content of the JPEGs.

💡Composite

To composite in photography means to combine multiple images into a single image. This technique is often used in product photography to replace or enhance the background of an image. In the video, the photographer composites the real product onto the AI-generated background, ensuring that the lighting and angles match perfectly to create a seamless and realistic final product photo.

💡Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a widely used software for image editing and manipulation. It is a critical tool for photographers to retouch and combine images. In the video, the speaker discusses using Photoshop to blend the real product with the AI-generated background, requiring advanced skills to ensure a natural and professional-looking final image.

💡Creative Concept

A creative concept refers to the original idea or theme behind a piece of work, such as a photograph. It is the foundation upon which the final product is built. In the context of the video, the creative concept is generated using AI, with the photographer providing the prompts to guide the AI in creating a 'lavender Dreamscape'. The creative concept is essential as it sets the direction for the entire photoshoot and the final image.

Highlights

AI is being discussed as a potential game-changer in product photography, offering new ways to innovate and stand out.

The speaker has successfully used AI to create a unique product photo for a client, primarily using AI for the majority of the image except the product itself.

A tutorial by Martin Butvidson was followed to incorporate AI into the photography process, with a link provided in the description box.

The client requested a 'lavender Dreamscape' theme, which was challenging to achieve traditionally, prompting the use of AI.

Midjourney, an AI tool, was used to generate the background, allowing for the input of URL links to JPEG photos for inspiration.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of using the right prompts in Midjourney to generate a concept close to the envisioned idea.

Inputting a JPEG image into Midjourney helps the AI take direct inspiration, simplifying the process of achieving the desired outcome.

Different variations of the generated image were explored, highlighting the iterative process involved in AI-assisted photography.

The generated background was combined with a real-life product shot, requiring careful alignment of shadows and angles to ensure a natural look.

Photoshop skills are essential for compositing the real product into the AI-generated image, ensuring a seamless and realistic final product.

Despite the AI assistance, the process still required significant time and effort, dispelling fears that AI will replace human photographers.

The speaker believes that AI will not take over jobs but will instead become another tool in the photographer's arsenal to create unique and original work.

Embracing AI and learning to use it effectively is encouraged as a way to stay at the forefront of the field and increase a photographer's value.

The final AI-generated photo was well-received by the client, marking a successful integration of AI in professional product photography.

The speaker plans to continue experimenting with AI-generated photos, recognizing the rapid advancements in AI technology.

AI is positioned as a creative tool that, when mastered, can help photographers produce work that stands out in a crowded field.

The video serves as inspiration for other photographers to explore AI and consider its incorporation into their work.

The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts and experiences with AI in photography, fostering a community of learning and innovation.