Photographing nature beyond the limits of human perception | Doris Mitsch | Ted Talks Daily

Intro

In this episode of Ted Talks Daily, Doris Mitsch shares her insights on photographing nature beyond the limits of human perception. She explores how photography can help us understand systems that are invisible to our senses and reveals the beauty and complexity of the natural world.

Main Takeaways

Unveiling the Invisible

• Doris Mitsch uses photos to help us understand systems beyond our perception.
• Photo Stacking is a process used to show trails of movement and make the shape of those movements visible.
• Looking at flight trails reveals rhyming patterns that repeat in nature and sometimes sketch out invisible things.
• Many creatures navigate using wavelengths of light or sound or fields of electricity or magnetism that our senses are not set up for.
• The universe operates systems beyond our perception, and what we call empty air is anything but empty.

The Extraordinary Senses of Animals

• Animals have unique sensory abilities, such as bats hearing shapes, plants eating light, and bees dancing maps.
• Hawks and vultures can fly for a long time without flapping their wings by finding air currents that lift them.
• They can fly in repeating loops that look like circles, figure eights, or spirals.

The Power of Soft Fascinations

• Lockdown led to a mental state called “soft fascinations,” which is a kind of attention that puts you into a state of mind that’s conducive to new ideas, creativity, and insight.
• Soft fascinations can be accessed by taking the time to be out in nature, watching the shapes that clouds make or a bird going by, and letting your mind relax a little bit and drift.

The Intersection of AI and Art

• AI art is mostly image generation, but there’s another side to art, which is sharing a vision and communicating an artist’s inner life.
• AI art is a tool for a human being to use, and at least at this point, somebody had an idea and shaped what the machine produced.
• AI art is a promising tool for artists to enhance their work.
• Art can be made from almost anything, democratizing creativity.
• AI art is not meant to replace artists but rather serve as a collaborator.
• The use of AI in art is both exciting and scary.
• AI art is not always generated without human involvement.

Summary

Unveiling the Invisible

Doris Mitsch’s photography goes beyond what our senses can perceive, using techniques like Photo Stacking to reveal the hidden trails of movement in nature. By studying flight trails, she uncovers patterns that repeat and sketch out invisible phenomena. She emphasizes that the universe operates systems beyond our perception, challenging our notion of empty air.

The Extraordinary Senses of Animals

Mitsch explores the remarkable sensory abilities of animals, such as bats using echolocation to “hear” shapes, plants converting light into energy, and bees communicating through intricate dances. She highlights the flight techniques of hawks and vultures, who harness air currents to soar effortlessly in loops and patterns.

The Power of Soft Fascinations

During the lockdown, Mitsch discovered the concept of “soft fascinations,” a state of mind that fosters creativity and insight. By immersing oneself in nature and observing its intricate details, one can access this mental state. Mitsch encourages taking the time to appreciate the shapes of clouds, the movements of birds, and allowing the mind to relax and drift.

The Intersection of AI and Art

Mitsch delves into the intersection of AI and art, acknowledging that while AI art is mostly generated by machines, it still requires human input and intention. She believes AI art can enhance an artist’s work, serving as a tool rather than a replacement. Mitsch recognizes the democratizing potential of art, as it can be created from various mediums and materials.

Conclusion

Doris Mitsch’s exploration of photography beyond human perception opens our eyes to the hidden wonders of nature. Through her work, she reveals the complexity and beauty of systems that operate beyond our senses. She also highlights the importance of soft fascinations and the potential of AI as a collaborator in the world of art. By embracing these concepts, we can deepen our understanding and appreciation of the world around us.