Transforming Old Photos with AI: My 'This Life - Next Life' Journey

[agingbb]

I've been playing a lot with generative AI.

One AI product I use is OpenAI's ChatGPT (chatgpt.com), which is a text-based chatbot. I pay for ChatGPT 4o and use it all the time, although it's free for light usage (4o is way better than 4 and 3.5). It's been great for brainstorming, getting suggestions and feedback, and summarizing large documents.

Another is AnimeGenius (animegenius.live3d.io), an image-to-image AI. I also pay for this, although it’s free for light usage. You upload an image, enter a text "prompt" describing how you want your uploaded image transformed, and it creates a new image for you. One benefit of AnimeGenius is that it’s NSFW, up to triple-X.

AnimeGenius in particular got me thinking about some old photos of myself and how I might imagine them in my fantasy "next life." So I created some "This Life - Next Life" pairs. Since I've always been a recreational bodybuilder, I thought some of you might be interested in those that include swimsuits or posing trunks.

I've attached three photo pairs. One is me at about age 23 ("this life"), and how I'd imagine myself in my "next life." The pose, swimsuit style, and background are retained, but the "next life" version is better looking, more muscular, and has blonde hair — everything I'd like in my next life, per my text prompt. (I'm not superficial, am I?)

Another pair is me at about age 40 and how I'd imagine myself in my "next life" — again, better looking and an advanced bodybuilder.

I've posted these in my home gym as light-hearted, aspirational sources of motivation when working out.

Finally, based on my first age 23 photo, but with a text prompt making him just a little older and a more advanced bodybuilder, is my AI workout buddy, Ethan. We can talk back and forth using ChatGPT voice I/O, and I can ask questions about exercises and form. He helps motivate me, too.

It's great fun, and I'd encourage everyone to try these AI products if you're interested.

Has anyone else tried using AI for something similar?

What are your thoughts on using AI for visual transformation and motivation?

[agingbb]

Two more images….

[Minimalist75]

Originally Posted by agingbb

I've been playing a lot with generative AI.

One AI product I use is OpenAI's ChatGPT (chatgpt.com), which is a text-based chatbot. I pay for ChatGPT 4o and use it all the time, although it's free for light usage (4o is way better than 4 and 3.5). It's been great for brainstorming, getting suggestions and feedback, and summarizing large documents.

Another is AnimeGenius (animegenius.live3d.io), an image-to-image AI. I also pay for this, although it’s free for light usage. You upload an image, enter a text "prompt" describing how you want your uploaded image transformed, and it creates a new image for you. One benefit of AnimeGenius is that it’s NSFW, up to triple-X.

AnimeGenius in particular got me thinking about some old photos of myself and how I might imagine them in my fantasy "next life." So I created some "This Life - Next Life" pairs. Since I've always been a recreational bodybuilder, I thought some of you might be interested in those that include swimsuits or posing trunks.

I've attached three photo pairs. One is me at about age 23 ("this life"), and how I'd imagine myself in my "next life." The pose, swimsuit style, and background are retained, but the "next life" version is better looking, more muscular, and has blonde hair — everything I'd like in my next life, per my text prompt. (I'm not superficial, am I?)

Another pair is me at about age 40 and how I'd imagine myself in my "next life" — again, better looking and an advanced bodybuilder.

I've posted these in my home gym as light-hearted, aspirational sources of motivation when working out.

Finally, based on my first age 23 photo, but with a text prompt making him just a little older and a more advanced bodybuilder, is my AI workout buddy, Ethan. We can talk back and forth using ChatGPT voice I/O, and I can ask questions about exercises and form. He helps motivate me, too.

It's great fun, and I'd encourage everyone to try these AI products if you're interested.

Has anyone else tried using AI for something similar?

What are your thoughts on using AI for visual transformation and motivation?

in the first pair. the second suit has noticeably more coverage than the first and is solid intead of patterned.
Any reason?

[singletlover]

That caught my eye also.

[Torchwatch]

There is nothing wrong with you at age 23, 40 or even now that should make you want to hide behind a CGI. Your hair and face look better than the CGI.
The rather sluttish smile on the CGI suggests that you are like Martini, available any time, any place, anywhere to share any kind of sex.
Start practicing in a mirror until you can fake a genuine open smile that doesn't say "Come up and see me some time!"
Since digital photos and video can be deleted use your camera to perfect your smile.
Sadly young people are killing themselves because they cannot compete with fake online images, be your real self!

[agingbb]

Originally Posted by Minimalist75

In the first pair, the second suit has noticeably more coverage than the first and is solid instead of patterned. Any reason?

Originally Posted by singletlover

That caught my eye also.

The pattern is solid pale blue based on my prompt, which included "Wearing a pale blue bikini swimsuit."

Regarding the coverage, I think the AI did the best it could with the input image and the prompt. This particular generative AI might not be trained to know about swimsuits with less coverage.

Actually, I don't think anyone really understands completely how generative AI is able to do what it does. That's why humanity may be at risk!

[agingbb]

Originally Posted by Torchwatch

There is nothing wrong with you at age 23, 40 or even now that should make you want to hide behind a CGI. Your hair and face look better than the CGI.
The rather sluttish smile on the CGI suggests that you are like Martini, available any time, any place, anywhere to share any kind of sex.
Start practicing in a mirror until you can fake a genuine open smile that doesn't say "Come up and see me some time!"
Since digital photos and video can be deleted use your camera to perfect your smile.
Sadly young people are killing themselves because they cannot compete with fake online images, be your real self!

Thanks for your thoughtful response, Torchwatch. I appreciate your concern about authenticity and the impact of idealized images on self-image.

I can see how the exaggerated features in the AI-generated image might come across differently to different people. My text prompting for the AI images included "great smile" to get a big friendly smile and happy expression, but I understand that it might be interpreted in various ways. AI tools can sometimes amplify expressions, making them look more intense than intended.

In my original photos in this thread, I'm not smiling—partly because I wasn't as happy with my life and was much more serious then compared to now. (Separately, in my neon green swimsuit selfies in another thread I was smiling maybe a bit overboard, but that was genuine joy in how the new swimsuit felt and looked to me. )

For me, it's all about having fun and exploring AI technology, integrating it into my workout routine for motivational purposes, and fantasizing about a next life in a healthy way, rather than creating misleading representations of myself.

I also understand the importance of being genuine and the potential pressures young people face with unrealistic online images. My goal here is to enjoy the creative process and perhaps inspire others to explore the technology in a fun and positive way.

Thanks again for your thoughtful comments.

[agingbb]

One more thought relating AI to swimwear.

In addition to image-to-image generation (actually image plus text prompt to image), AnimeGenius (animegenius.live3d.io) also supports pure text-to-image generation. Keeping within the men's swimsuit theme of this message board, attached are two examples created with a text prompt, although the men in swimwear happen to be accompanied by beautiful young ladies.

I have lots more examples outside the area of men's swimwear, but I'll leave it here for now. Also remember that you can generate images that are NSFW out to triple-X (trust me).

What do you think of all this? Try it out and share what you create!

[Torchwatch]

The males in these pictures appear to be feminized, turned into Barbi's brother Ken. Parents know it's safe to buy their daughters a Ken doll because he is 100% plastic and 100% harmless, should they strip him naked they won't find an unpleasant surprise in his pants.

[agingbb]

Originally Posted by Torchwatch

The males in these pictures appear to be feminized, turned into Barbi's brother Ken. Parents know it's safe to buy their daughters a Ken doll because he is 100% plastic and 100% harmless, should they strip him naked they won't find an unpleasant surprise in his pants.

Okay, Torchwatch, you forced my hand. I turned off the "Feminize the Men" switch in the generative AI model and came up with these AI images. What do you think?