In February 2023, when AI-generated images first made headlines and caused headaches for many photographers, I created a photo reportage using this new technology.

But it wasn't just a random photojournalistic story. Since traveling for photographs contributes to carbon emissions, I chose to focus on a story that would be directly impacted by this fact. Instead of merely contributing to rising sea levels, I wanted to rise the question whether generating images for reportages could offer any real advantages.

A few months earlier, I had heard about a Polynesian state that is expected to sink first due to rising sea levels. Their Minister of Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe, announced that they would be the first nation to move into the metaverse to digitally preserve their land and culture. Since there will eventually be an online version of this state, I wondered if journalists might also report from this digital realm. Of course, today one could still fly there and report on the rising sea levels and the state's move into the metaverse—digitizing their landscape, traditions, and everything that future generations might never see.

So, what pictures would I take? What might be happening there now, and what traces of the future can already be seen today?

One and a half years later, in August 2024, I repeated that AI-generated photo reportage. I used the same prompts but switched from DALL-E 2 to Midjourney. While DALL-E 2 initially created the buzz, Midjourney is now considered the best tool for generating images.

I was amazed by some of the developments. But see for yourself!

Starting with the current Midjourney photoreportage:

This is the Dall-E 2-version from February 2023:

And this were the prompts I used with Dall-E 2 and Midjourney alike:

And this is a bonus picture which has a funny mistake in it but truth as well... Thanks for watching.

In February 2023, when AI-generated images first made headlines and caused headaches for many photographers, I created a photo reportage using this new technology.

But it wasn't just a random photojournalistic story. Since traveling for photographs contributes to carbon emissions, I chose to focus on a story that would be directly impacted by this fact. Instead of merely contributing to rising sea levels, I wanted to rise the question whether generating images for reportages could offer any real advantages.

A few months earlier, I had heard about a Polynesian state that is expected to sink first due to rising sea levels. Their Minister of Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe, announced that they would be the first nation to move into the metaverse to digitally preserve their land and culture. Since there will eventually be an online version of this state, I wondered if journalists might also report from this digital realm. Of course, today one could still fly there and report on the rising sea levels and the state's move into the metaverse—digitizing their landscape, traditions, and everything that future generations might never see.

So, what pictures would I take? What might be happening there now, and what traces of the future can already be seen today?

One and a half years later, in August 2024, I repeated that AI-generated photo reportage. I used the same prompts but switched from DALL-E 2 to Midjourney. While DALL-E 2 initially created the buzz, Midjourney is now considered the best tool for generating images.

I was amazed by some of the developments. But see for yourself!

Starting with the current Midjourney photoreportage:

This is the Dall-E 2-version from February 2023:

And this is a bonus picture which has a funny mistake in it but truth as well...