Photographers and creators have raised concerns over Adobe’s Firefly accusing the software giant of setting up competition against them without being paid for it.

In an interview with Venture Beat, photographer and Adobe Stock contributor Rob Dobi from Connecticut, who regularly documents abandoned buildings, say that his photos haven’t been selling as well recently and points the finger at Adobe’s new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool Firefly.

“Someone can just type in a prompt now and recreate the images based off your hard work,” he says.

Dobi, who recently had his photos published in The New York Times, says that he saw a set of abandoned AI photos online that were generated with Firefly and was shocked to see how much they resembled his own work.

“I saw some AI artist saying, ‘Show me your urban exploration photos built through AI, I built these through Adobe Firefly’ and I looked at these photos and they could pass as my photos, I wouldn’t question whether they were real photos unless you looked really closely,” he tells Venture Beat.

“Someone using Firefly could easily put in a prompt with words like ‘mental asylum, symmetrical, natural light, peeling paint, textured walls, dirty floor,’ stuff like that’.”

Creators Believe That AI is Using Their Own Work Against Them

A U.K.-based digital artist by the name of Dean Samed tells Venture Beat that Adobe is “using our IP to create content that will compete with us in the marketplace.”

Samed doesn’t think that Adobe’s practices are “ethical or fair” despite the company legally being able to do so because “we all signed the terms of service.” He also says he received no notice that his work would be used to train an AI model

“I don’t recall receiving an email or notification that said things are changing, and that they would be updating the terms of service,” he says.

A legal expert in generative AI tells Venture Beat that he believes photographers and artists have very little wiggle room.

“You give Adobe a license for perpetuity, for whatever medium shall be invented,” says legal scholar Andres Guadamuz. “People don’t read those terms and conditions.”

Is the Rise of AI Coming at the Expense of Photographers?

For Dobi, he feels as if Adobe has turned its back on real creators.

“Adobe, which is supposed to be, I mean, I guess they thought they were looking out for creators, apparently aren’t because they’re stabbing all their creators that helped create their stock library in the back,” he says.

Earlier this month, PetaPixel reported on data showing that AI images on Adobe Stock, currently the only major stock website accepting AI image submissions from contributors, are performing better than real photos.

“[It’s] not a feasible platform for us to operate in anymore,” says Samed. Adding that the marketplace is “completely flooded and inundated with AI content.”

Adobe’s Response

Adobe insists that its goal is to build generative AI in a way that “enables creators to monetize their talents” and emphasizes that Firefly is still in beta.

“During this phase, we are actively engaging the community at large through direct conversations, online platforms like Discord and other channels, to ensure what we are building is informed and driven by the community,” an Adobe spokesperson tells Venture Beat. The company asserts that is “committed” to compensating creators.

Image credits: Header photo partly licensed via Depositphotos.

COOPH, maker of photography-oriented merchandise, accessories, and the COOPH Magazine, has launched a new backpack on Kickstarter.

COOPH says the HelioFlex is the “only backpack you will ever need.” The bag’s name is derived from the ancient Greek god Helios, the personification of the Sun, and it sheds light on one of the backpack’s essential features, a built-in solar panel.

The “Solar Front Bag,” which COOPH developed alongside Sunnybag, allows photographers to charge their cameras and other electronics. The 8.5-watt solar panel is modular, meaning it can be detached entirely from the rest of the backpack.

Modular backpacks are hot these days. Earlier this month, PetaPixel covered the Zipble, another modular backpack on Kickstarter.

Returning to HelioFlex, the solar panel can charge a tablet over USB-C with about eight hours of sunlight. A typical dedicated camera can fully charge in five hours, while a smartphone takes about four hours. As a result, it could be the perfect companion for adventure photographers who go off the grid for days at a time.

“HelioFlex adapts to you,” writes COOPH. Everything begins with the “backpack base,” a somewhat traditional backpack with a top flap opening, a handle, adjustable shoulder straps, and side pockets.

Users can attach one of the three add-on bags using counter-arranged hooks and Fidlock buckles. Aside from the Solar Front Bag, there are also Tablet Front Bag and Camera Cube Bag options.

The Camera Cube Bag fits inside the backpack’s main compartment and includes adjustable internal dividers. The camera cube is accessible from inside the HelioFlex Base Backpack and includes a separate shoulder strap.

The Camera Cube Bag’s adjustable dividers “fit any device” and should work well for mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, drones, and action cameras. While it does not look like a larger telephoto lens would fit into the Camera Cube Bag, it seems capable of holding a camera body and a few smaller lenses.

COOPH says the HelioFlex is water resistant and delivers “maximum comfort.” The backpack has a ventilated back, two main compartments, and 16 gear pockets. The two internal compartments are five and 10 liters in capacity and one of the gear pockets is designed to hold a water bottle or a camera tripod and includes a strap to keep longer tripods safely attached.

Pricing and Availability

The COOPH HelioFlex backpack is available in three colorways: charcoal black, granite gray, and moss green. The base backpack starts at €149, which is just over $160. This is a €100 savings compared to the eventual retail price.

An “Ultimate Bundle” option that includes the HelioFlex Backpack Base and the Solar Front Bag and Camera Cube Bag add-ons is €299, or about $330. Individual add-ons start at just over €50.

COOPH expects the HelioFlex to begin shipping in March 2024. Full backer options and details are available on Kickstarter.

Disclaimer: Make sure you do your own research into any crowdfunding project you’re considering backing. While we aim to only share legitimate and trustworthy campaigns, there’s always a real chance that you can lose your money when backing any crowdfunded project.

Image credits: COOPH

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