An Incantation in Twelve Prompts is a series of diptychs pairing text with photographic images. Each stanza serves as a prompt which is then input into what is commonly known as AI, or a text-to-image stable diffusion model.

The poem delineates a relationship between two lovers—the image maker and the medium of photography itself. It raises the question: what transpires when a photographer becomes disillusioned with their craft or lured by newer, more novel tools? What happens when they become acutely aware of the inherent shortcomings of the medium in which they work—how then do they proceed?

However, the final pairing predominantly omits AI, using it instead as a mere ice-breaking tool, and subverting the intended use of the technology altogether. The images originate first from a camera and employ traditional studio techniques, practical effects, and select post-production techniques. Here, the synthetic melds seamlessly with the real, provoking the viewer to question the true referent of the photo.