2024 02 07

Street scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck

I love simple images like this. Do I wish there was a striking woman in a blue dress holding a red balloon and a cake on her way to a birthday party slightly off-center in frame? Yes. Should I use AI to make it happen? No — but I did!

You gotta hand it to AI: Matching the dress (even tho I specified a different color) with the window shades was a brilliant move. The mutilated face also adds a nice touch and makes you wonder the backstory to this woman. Was she just splashed with a cup of acid while still keeping a positive attitude about it? I’d love to know her story and it’s truly what makes this an iconic image, fully thanks to AI.

-Clayton