Photographer Uses AI To Picture What These 10 Late Celebrities Would Look Like If They Were Still Alive

"This is the first collection of images of my AI-based project called 'As if nothing happened'"

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• September 15, 2022

An attorney and photographer from Istanbul, Turkey named Alper Yesiltas has spent the last 19 years imagining scenes and capturing memories. Some of his photographs since that time have been published in books, magazines, exhibitions, and websites all around the world and have won prizes in numerous photo competitions.

I'd like to present to you the initial set of Alper’s pictures from his artificial intelligence-based project named "As if nothing occurred." According to Alper, the question of "how would people look photo-realistically if some great events had not happened to them” is the driving force behind this project.

The photographer makes use of a variety of software programs. While the amount of time it takes the photographer to complete a single image varies, he would say it takes some time for an image to feel "real" to him.

This particular project consists of 10 photographs, though the photographer wants to extend it but he wants to do it in a selective way, so the process is a little bit slow for him. “For future projects, there are various things I imagine about real life using AI technology. Like “Life in 2050” and “Alternate Museum”,” Alper said.

So go right ahead and check out his works below.

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1. Heath Ledger

I wish he hadn't been affected by the exhaustion of his role.

2. Freddie Mercury

I wish he hadn't got that disease.

3. Janis Joplin

I wish she hadn't sought the inspiration she needed elsewhere.

4. Michael Jackson

I wish he hadn't faced vitiligo.

The photographer has been anticipating the advancement of AI technology for a while now since he believes that “anything imaginable can be shown in reality.”

“When I started tinkering with technology, I saw what I could do and thought about what would make me the happiest. I wanted to see some of the people I missed again in front of me and that’s how this project emerged.”

We’re not done yet as there’s still more pictures to see below.

5. Kurt Cobain

I wish he had decided to stay.

6. John Lennon

I wish he hadn't been in New York that day.

7. Elvis Presley

I wish he decided to live a life where he paid more attention to the health of his heart.

8. Jimi Hendrix

I wish he hadn't sought the inspiration he needed elsewhere.

9. Bruce Lee

I wish he hadn't taken that painkiller that day.

10. 2pac

I wish he hadn't been involved in that event that would cause him to face the mafia.

According to the photographer, making the image feel “real” to him is the hardest aspect of the creative process for him. “The moment I like the most is when I think the image in front of me looks very realistic as if it was taken by a photographer,” he says.

Alper's eager to hear your opinions and recommendations so drop your thoughts about his works in the comments below.

Maryjane