Camera app removes people from photos

By Kim Komando

July 24, 2019

Let’s say you’ve found just the spot for a perfect photo. Then some schlub stumbles into the shot and decides to just sit there. That’s what you’d call an unwanted photobomb! You could stand around and wait for him to leave, or you could shoot the photo and fix it with this helpful app. Presto! The schlub has disappeared from the photo. We’ll explain how this app works and what the purpose behind it is. It’s another great tool to add to your collection of photo apps.

Say goodbye to those annoying photobombers

The Bye Bye Camera app is the perfect response to annoying photobombers. The app automatically removes every person who would normally appear in pictures that you take. If you’re excited right now and thinking, “Great, I can remove my awful ex from all of my photos,” you need to know that’s not how this app works. It doesn’t edit people from existing photos. To do that you would need to use some photo editing software. The Bye Bye Camera app removes all people from photos as you’re taking them. For example, you take a photo of a guy walking his dog. The guy is removed from the photo automatically while the dog stays in the picture. It’s like a ghost walking Fido. Just for fun, take a selfie using the app. Guess what? You’re gone too. The Bye Bye Camera app for iOS-only uses several artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as YOLO (You Only Look Once). The YOLO software can detect the outline of a person in an image. The app then uses a separate tool to fill in the background left behind by the person’s missing image. An early version of the $3 app was pretty buggy. When it removed people, the fill-in background was splotchy, pixelated or still left a bit of the person in the photo. It also sometimes missed the target. Remember the guy walking the dog? In one instance the guy stayed while the dog disappeared. At $3 a pop, users of the early version were not amused. But new reviews state that the app has been updated and works better and faster.

Bye Bye creators have a purpose

While amusing, why would someone create an app that removes every person from a photo? Well, the creators consider the app more of an art project that asks the big existential question, “What would a post-human world look like?”   Bye Bye Camera was developed by Do Something Good and the one-name artist Damjanski. The artist said that the “post-human” description of the app is more of a joke but one inspired by serious topics like certain threats to humanity. “We’re thinking about a future where humanity is no longer around,” he said. “One of the things I really enjoy is that the app takes out humans, but it keeps their shadows.” As for artists, they can get a perfect shot by removing unwanted people. You can even take photos of famous paintings like the Mona Lisa and she will disappear leaving behind only da Vinci’s background. Damjanski knows the app isn’t perfect, but he said he actually enjoys seeing the fails. To him, they are art as well.

Tags: apps, camera, reviews, Target