AI, AI, AI, we are seeing it absolutely everywhere. It seems like everywhere you look and listen people are talking about AI and how it is going to transform the way we learn and do business.
The latest trend I have been seeing are companies that promise a batch of "Professional Headshots" for a fraction of the cost of professional photography studios. I am sure you can understand why, when I started seeing these ads on Social Media, I felt a bit triggered.
I fully believe that the experience and results you get from a professional photographer cannot be duplicated by a computer program but I decided before I formed an opinion, I should probably check it out for myself.
In the program I chose, I needed to submit 10-20 headshots and in return I would be sent 100 images that I could use on my professional profiles.
So I submitted 12 professionally posed and lit images that I have had taken within the past three months. The images are the same ones you see on my social media and company websites. They are good representations of what I look like, how my hair is styled and clothing colors that I feel are complimentary to my skin tone. These weren't some phone selfies that needed a lot of editing to make look good. These were images that I would easily show anyone.
So Imagine my surprise when I got back images that looked like this.
As a friend put it, there is a "Smidge of Dorie" in these images but these images are not me. Proof that even when following the directions carefully, a computer AI program could not produce a headshot of me that I would want to use in a professional setting. (Or any setting.)
A computer bot CANNOT do what a professional photographer does. It really is as simple as that.
Yes, the main reason people hire a professional photographer for business purposes is so, at the end of the transaction, you can have a set of images that you can use to promote your business. But if these are the kinds of results you can expect, it is a waste of time no matter how easy or cheap.
There are many reasons why you always need a human on the other side of the camera lens when you are having your professional image taken. The number one being that you are probably having this image taken because you want to connect with clients and future clients on a personal level. A computer, no matter how advanced, cannot do that.
AI programs create images based on algorithms and automated technical tools that read images to assigns profiles based on light, shadows, and color. Then they add in elements like outfits, hairstyles, and backgrounds based on directions given to the computer.
But AI programs cannot create a pleasing atmosphere that will make you feel at ease. It cannot direct you in flattering poses. It cannot help you evoke a feeling of professionalism, competence, and connection.
Choosing to work with an experienced professional photographer is an investment in yourself. You can trust them with the responsibility of crafting an image the goes beyond satisfying a requirement of an updated image. The images you create together can help craft an image of authenticity and professionalism. A story that only you can tell.
Don't leave your professional image to the Robots. If you are trying to connect on a human level, you need a human to help you do that.
And for kicks, here are a few more of the images that AI created for me.