Stuck In Customs

Another world building exploration with AI… this time a floating bubble city.

I put together a selection of family photos to celebrate the life of Tina. I love her so much. Last week I put a post on my two FB profiles about her passing and they received so many wonderful comments. Thank you all. I can’t respond to all of them, but I certainly read all of them and felt the love for the rest of the family, especially the kids.

You know, frankly, I used to think the ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ comments were kind of silly, especially back in my atheist days. But after everything I’ve experienced over the past few years, I see things differently now. So, please, yes, send your love to our amazing kids Ethan, Isabella, and Scarlett, and also to Tina’s family with Bessie, Taylor, Michelle, and her entire extended family. Sending love energy really works… and it’s the most powerful energy in the world. And I’m sending love back ‘atcha!

It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Tina, the mother of our wonderful children, a few days ago. She fought courageously, but complications from cancer took her from us. Tina was deeply loved, especially by our amazing, clever kids, and we will always cherish the memories we created together. While life won’t be the same without her, the family and I will continue to honor her by ensuring the kids are surrounded with love and support. This photo is from one of our unforgettable ‘round the world family trips to India, a beautiful moment in time we will always treasure. It’s hard to pick a photo… we have so many special family photos, and she looks beautiful and lovely in all of them.

Another group of images from my AI account over on @trairatcliff

If you’ve been interested in the image to video stuff I’ve been playing with and want to try it for yourself, for free then check out Kling AI as you can register and get some free generations to play with. (I’ve no affiliation with them, just a nice free thing to try 🙂 )

Here’s the latest of my collabs with an AI from over at @trairatcliff

I think Peak Design has done about 79 Kickstarters or so. I can’t keep track… but this one is the coolest one so far! Just listen to Adam’s sweet voice in the video below. If you were thirsty and wandering in the Sahara desert, Adam could sell you a pile of sand.

This outdoor line (which also supports their photography cubes) looks really slick hey? The only problem is deciding which one I want… I’ll probably get a few! And it’s quite cool that they have a lifelong guarantee. I’ve never needed to use it because the bags are super sturdy. I’ve got this one sling bag I used at Burning Man for several years in a row. That’s about the toughest possible situation and it’s still perfect. Well, it’s a bit dusty, but that’s part of the charm.

Oh, and just to be clear, we don’t collaborate any more. All these new bags are simply the genius of their design team!

Some further world building exploration with generative AI…

I know AI tends to rub a lot of photographers the wrong way. That’s fine—it’s not about me. Maybe it’s about you and your unresolved life issues. But that’s beside the point. I’m here to show you how to make something really cool. 😉

If you’ve been following my @Trairatcliff account, you know I’ve been churning out a lot of fun AI-generated content. And hey, if the Godfather of photography, Rick Sammon, approves, there’s probably something to it. To me, art doesn’t start or stop with a camera. In fact, the camera’s just a tool. True creation happens in the mind of the creator. You don’t need a fancy piece of plastic and glass to make something visceral.

Now, let’s get into the exciting blend of photography and AI. First, here’s one I made earlier…

The Big Picture

If you’re like me, you’ve probably taken thousands—maybe hundreds of thousands—of photos. So, why not use AI to turn them into a fun video?

Before we get too technical, let’s talk about the concept. You took the original photo, and that becomes the foundation for the AI to build upon. At the time of writing this, AI can extrapolate 5+ seconds of video from a single image. With video typically running at 30 frames per second (FPS), that means your photo is the first frame, and the AI generates the remaining 149.

Photos are great, and good videos are great too—no need to pick a side. But there’s something about video that resonates differently, especially when paired with the right music. Humans experience life in a continuous stream of video moments, so video often feels more dynamic and immersive. I like to think of life as a movie, with each scene transitioning into the next, and sometimes a video can move people in ways a single image can’t. Personally, I often find myself watching great films at night, rather than staring at a static photo.

The Tech Stuff

How I Did It
I’ve tried about 4-5 different AI tools, but for this video, I only used one. This isn’t an affiliate link, by the way—I’m not getting paid to promote this. I used Luma for this video, but another option as of now is Runway.

Step 1: Get a Subscription
I opted for the Pro account because my videos are longer and sometimes it takes a few tries to get things looking just right and that requires “credits” which are part of the sub.

Step 2: Develop a concept
This is the fun part! Pick a music track that inspires you—something from Hans Zimmer, your favorite old-school jam, whatever moves you. Don’t sweat copyright too much; YouTube won’t let you monetize it, but if you’re doing this for art’s sake, it’s fine. If you plan to sell the video, use original music or AI-generated tunes. What matters is that the music fits the vibe of the video. For example, I used a song that meant a lot to me from a recent trip to Costa Rica.

Step 3: Upload your photo to Luma
In Luma’s “Create” section, upload your image. There’s a prompt field, but don’t overthink it to begin with. I usually start with something simple like “A slow drone shot” or “Snow is falling in Japan.” The AI will give you 5 seconds of video, and if you like what you see, you can extend it to 10 seconds. Or sometimes the results can be a bit wonky, but that’s not on you — just tweak the prompt to be more specific to what you want for different results. The latest version of Luma even has a dropdown under “Camera” where you can select options like “Pan Left” or “Move in” to give your video a more cinematic feel. This tech evolves quickly, so expect even more features by the time you try it.

Step 4: Edit your video
Once you’ve got your video clips, use your favorite video editing software to combine them with the music. I use Screenflow for Mac—it’s quick and easy. But feel free to use Adobe Premiere, iMovie, or whatever you’re comfortable with.

Have Fun!
And that’s it! This technique works wonders for old family photos, pictures of your kids, vacation snaps, or even that unforgettable fraternity party. The key is to have fun and let your creativity flow. Find joy in the process, and share that joy with the world. 🙂

Here are a few other short vids I made with Luma while experimenting…

Here’s the latest batch of my AI work from over on @trairatcliff