Headshot Photography in the age of AI
/By: Barry Keegan, Ottawa, Canada / Fractional Chief Marketing Officer + AI specialist
Headshot Photography is in the age of AI, and we want to chat with our members about it. I spoke with two photographers who are ready for it. (Well, kind of. The truth is, it's pretty complicated.)
In the rapidly evolving realm of digital photography, artificial intelligence is not just a tool—it's a way to expand creative processes. While it can sometimes miss the mark and strip away the personal touch, it also holds the potential to inspire new forms of artistic expression and push creative boundaries.
But, wait… Imagine, for a minute, if someone took your paintbrush and replaced it with a robot arm. Sure, it might paint faster, but where's the soul of the image gone?
AI has transformed many industries, indeed, with the emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other Large Language Models. We're now coming into Q3 of 2024, and we see it integrated into every software-as-a-service tool imaginable, including those used by photographers (No, this is not an article about Adobe's Ts&Cs. Maybe we'll do that some other time). It's like AI is the new avocado toast—everyone's trying to add it to everything.
I sat down recently with two professional photographers and associate members of Headshots Matter, Jordan Fraker from Dallas, Texas, USA, and Crystal Mercredi from Calgary, Canada, to chat with them about the impact AI tools have on them, the excitement of smother workflows and faster production, and their concerns about the future of the sector. (Spoiler alert: there's some good and some bad.)
Blending Artistry with Technology (or Trying To, Anyway)
Commercial photographers like Jordan are navigating the complexities of this tech shift. He’s looking to strike a delicate balance between AI's efficiency and the irreplaceable value of artistic authenticity. It’s a fine line for him.
Jordan, who's been a photographer for nearly two decades, reflects on the early integration of AI in tools like Photoshop.
"We've been using auto colour and auto levels for over two decades in Photoshop," he notes. “These features have significantly evolved, improving workflow and helping me create final images quicker.”
Despite these advancements, Jordan remains cautiously optimistic about AI's role in photography. He believes that while AI can streamline processes, it doesn't account for his or anyone's personal touch that defines his style (I agree with him, I mean, check out his Instagram to see for yourself).
"It's not going to be there for me until it can kind of learn from me what I like and then start doing things the way I want them to be," Jordan explains.
Photographers like Jordan say that it produces a lot of mediocrity and not a lot of art. (Maybe it needs a crash course in how to be an artistic genius, or perhaps it will always aim for humdrum.)
Practical Applications of AI
Jordan recently found a practical use for Photoshop's new AI tools while working for a greeting card and gift company. He and the creative owner needed something unique.
"It's me and the owner talking. So, there was no agency involved. And she's highly creative, the owner of this company. So, after bouncing many different ideas off of her, we landed on taking photos of these women and making a composite," Jordan explained. "All of these illustrated backgrounds were generated by AI. I did go in and do some fixes, but for the most part [Adobe] Firefly did it," he revealed.
Jordan Fraker / Dallas, Texas / Associate member of Headshots Matter
Yet, for all the efficiencies gained, Jordan remains wary of overreliance on AI—fearing it might diminish the authenticity central to his work. He argues that while helpful, the current generation of AI tools cannot truly understand and replicate the artistic intent that comes naturally to people. This sentiment is broadly shared by the photography community—including our Headshots Matter members— who value the human touch.
The Human-AI Partnership (It's Complicated)
Meanwhile, Crystal Mercredi is also dipping her toes in the AI waters in Calgary. She's embracing it, but with a healthy dose of realism. "AI is not perfect, and you can't just spit something in and expect it to be [...] but it allows us to push the envelope of new possibilities," Crystal explains.
Crystal shared a story about a conference where one of her colleagues went all in on AI for an events project. This photographer used Evoto and its AI tools to edit and deliver—wait for it—109 headshots in a single day. That's like, what, a headshot every 5 minutes?!
"It wasn't the same quality as a custom headshot session, but for a quick turnaround, it was an interesting use of AI," Crystal says.
Quantity over quality, maybe, but sometimes that's what the job calls for.
Inspired by this AI speed run, Crystal decided to try Evoto herself. "It speeds up my workflow and offers more consistency, so everything starts from the same place," she adds.
Crystal Mercredi / Calgary, Canada / Associate member of Headshots Matter
These projects show how AI tools can be a real lifesaver for those high-volume gigs—freeing up photographers to focus on the creative stuff and actually talk to their clients. Because let's face it, no one became a photographer to spend hours hunched over a computer (It is a reality with digital workflow, though).
Both Jordan and Crystal are happy with how they’ve used AI so far but only use it when it makes sense (And works as both of them commented during their interviews). You also have to be careful with how you use it so it doesn’t distract or take away from the client’s images.
"If you're using an AI headshot, for example, and something that's not real, that's actually doing the total opposite of building trust with your target audience,” says Crystal. “So I would say you are much better off with an ugly picture, you know, with that unpretty picture, than you are with an AI picture."
It's all about building trust and telling authentic stories through images. That separates the pros from the Instagram filters (note that Instagram even tags images deemed AI).
The Future Ahead
The photography industry is facing significant changes. The choices made now will shape how we take pictures and how creativity adapts to new technologies. As Jordan puts it, "It's about using these tools to make our work more our work."
By thoughtfully incorporating new technologies, photographers might enhance their artistry while staying true to their roots. But what does this mean for the future? It's hard to say for sure.
"AI is not going to look artificial for very long. So now we just need to decide, is there a way that we can still make a living? I mean, that's really the point is yes, right now it all looks kind of like shit," Jordan says. "A lot of it does, but can we hang on to the coattails of AI and go along this ride and continue being artists utilizing it?"
Crystal offers some great practical advice to photographers who are testing these AI tools.
"So there's a benefit to being an early adopter. There's a benefit to being like kind of a wait-and-see. And you just have to find like, don't always be the early adopter or you'll always be dealing with the bumps and just find like, where do you feel like you can try something new? So if there's an area of your workflow that's like, you know, if there's an area of your workflow that's currently causing you frustration, that's probably an area you should try to see if there's something better out there."
Photographers like Jordan and Crystal are not just using these new tools—they're helping us understand how these technologies affect creative work. Their insights will be crucial in guiding the development of AI to support artistic expression while preserving the human element in photography. (and maybe it keeps a bit of that human magic alive).
So, there you have it, AI: it's messy, exciting, and a little bit scary, but hey, that's progress for you (I guess).
Keep your eyes on this space—it's gonna be an interesting ride. We're certainly keeping an eye on it here at Headshots Matter.
Cheers, Barry
Connect with Barry on LinkedIn for more marketing and AI news.
Thanks so much to Jordan Fraker and Crystal Mercredi for taking the time to share their thoughts about AI and how it’s impacting their businesses. To learn more about Jordan’s work, please view his website: www.jordanfraker.com
And Crystal’s work can be found at: www.lifeandportraits.com
Thanks, Dwayne Brown
Headshots Matter
