Core Dimensions of CI Theory

Vernon Chalmers' Conscious Intelligent (CI) Theory emphasises that intelligence in photography is felt, not just calculated. It positions the photographer as an embodied, awake, and present participant in the creative act.

CI Theory, or Conscious Intelligence Theory, uses photography as a foundation to argue that human consciousness, awareness, and embodied presence are central to authentic image-making, rather than solely relying on computational logic. Developed by Vernon Chalmers, the theory views photography as a holistic process involving five dimensions: Awareness, Interpretation, Empathy and Presence. It sees photography not just as a technical or artistic practice, but as a contemplative and existential act that integrates the photographer, the technology, and the subject into a unified conscious experience.

Four Core Dimensions of CI Theory

Photography as a conscious act: CI emphasizes that intelligence in photography is felt, not just calculated. It positions the photographer as an embodied, awake, and present participant in the creative act.

    Dimensions of Conscious Photography:

• Awareness: The receptive, attunement to the environment and its presence.

• Interpretation: The process of constructing meaning through perception and reflection.

• Empathy: The ethical recognition and acknowledgment of the subject's existence beyond mere representation.

• Presence: The integration of the photographer's mind, body, and the specific moment into a single conscious act.

Integration of Technology

CI does not reject technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) but sees it as a support tool. The theory's goal is for human consciousness to lead, with AI potentially assisting in technical aspects like "ideal exposure" during in-camera and post-processing stages.

Existential and Ethical Dimensions

Photography, within this framework, becomes a practice of self-cultivation and awareness. It involves the photographer managing their own expectations, remaining open to the unexpected, and reflecting on the meaning of the encounter with the subject. This includes an ethical dimension of recognizing the subject as a "being".

Closing Remarks: A Shift from Traditional Theory

The theory is presented as an alternative to purely critical or technical approaches that might "flatten the lived experience" of photography by reducing it to analysis or formula. Instead, it champions a dynamic, relational, and embodied way of seeing and creating authentic images.

 CI Theory does not ask "What does this image mean?" but rather "What does this image awaken?" in the viewer and the creator, advocating for a movement from critique to communion

Vernon Chalmers Birds in Flight Photography CI