Idioms have always been a source of ideas for my stock photo creations and the idiom “A tiger by the tail” sprang to mind as I thought about the dangers and risks of artificial intelligence. This image has a further tale to tell as well, a tale of just what it takes to create such an image, and what the chances are that the image will have been, monetarily, worth creating.
The phrase “a tiger by the tail” is an idiomatic expression that conveys the idea of being in a difficult or precarious situation, often as a result of taking on a challenge or responsibility that is difficult to manage or control. The metaphorical image evoked by the phrase is that of someone who has grabbed hold of a tiger by its tail—an action that is both daring and foolhardy, as it puts the person in a dangerous and potentially uncontrollable situation.The origins of the phrase can be traced back to various cultural and literary sources, but its meaning remains consistent across different contexts. It suggests that once a person has taken on a difficult or dangerous task, they find themselves in a position where they must continue to grapple with the consequences, even though doing so may be risky or unwise.The phrase is often used to describe situations where someone has taken on a challenge or responsibility that is beyond their capabilities or resources. It conveys a sense of urgency and impending danger, as well as the need for quick thinking and decisive action to avoid negative consequences.For example, someone might use the phrase “a tiger by the tail” to describe a difficult project at work that has spiraled out of control, or a personal situation where they feel overwhelmed and out of their depth. In both cases, the phrase suggests that the person is in a precarious position and must find a way to navigate the challenges they face before things get even worse.Overall, “a tiger by the tail” serves as a vivid metaphor for the challenges and risks inherent in taking on difficult tasks or responsibilities. It reminds us of the importance of being mindful of the potential consequences of our actions and the need to approach challenges with caution and foresight. Obviously the phrase is perfect for what mankind may face in the development of AI.
To create the image I photographed tigers. This was done during a trip to Thailand and a visit to the “Tiger Temple”. I sought out the temple specifically to be able to photograph the tigers. The temple had a lot of tigers! Dozens! There were six of us “tourists” on the day we arrived at the temple. We were given amazing access to the big cats…everything from bottle feeding tiger kittens to walking a full grown tiger on a lease. Most of my tiger photos were captured during a “play period” in which we were in an enclosure with tigers as they splashed in stream, chased oversized cat toys and batted soccer balls thrown by young monks. It was a crazy scene. The tiger temple came about when villagers brought abandoned tiger kittens to the temple for the monks to care for and over the years they ended up with quite the tiger population. I did read that a couple of years ago the temple was closed down by the government after several unfortunate maulings took place.
In addition to the tiger images I had to photograph the model and the location. The location had to be located and paid for. The model I found on Model Mayhem, an online casting company. The model cost me around $200.00 and I photographed her in my studio. While I don’t remember the specifics of the location costs it would probably have been three or four hundred dollars. The tiger cost is subjective because I only had to make a small donation to the temple, but did have to pay for a trip to Thailand. I have rented big cats before and at the time they ran about $5,000.00 per shoot. So to create this “AI tiger by the tail” image would require at least $6,000.00 in expenses, several days of shooting, and at least a day worth of my time putting the image together in Photoshop.
Back in the old days when Rights Managed Stock Photography ruled the day I could expect to make perhaps $30,000.00 off of such a photo (over a period of maybe five years). Now, since Getty has gone totally RF, I might make a couple of hundred dollars over the next five years…though it might actually be more like tens of dollars. One strategy I employ to help with the revenue end of things is to make various versions of the images I am producing. In this case I ended up with a traditional “Tiger By The Tail” image and an AI version as well. Ultimately there is simply no way to expect to earn anywhere near what it costs to produce such an image. However, as a semi-retired stock photographer who still enjoys making images, I end up doing so regardless of the dim financial prospects. Oh well.
