The MOOD Podcast

How to Stay Relevant as a Photographer in the Age of AI , Moments of Mood 2.9

• Matt Jacob • Episode 100

Share episode

What happens when the world is flooded with AI images, tools, and “perfect” feeds?

In this episode of Moments of MOOD, I sit down to talk about what it really means to stay human in your work — and why your voice, your presence, and your lived experience are the ultimate creative edge.

This isn’t a doom-scroll about AI taking our jobs. It’s an invitation. To look at what makes your art irreplaceable. To build a brand that AI can’t copy. To practice until your perspective becomes unmistakable.

If you’ve been feeling the anxiety of this “AI flood,” this episode is a reminder: your humanity is the moat. 

Keep showing up. Keep telling stories. And keep making art that only you can make.
_________________________

References in the video:

Things that changed everything for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyQ5i28TD38&t=1s

My Core Brand Narrative Process
https://mattjacobphotography.com/core-brand-narrative-process

MIT study on brain vs. ChatGPT
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.08872
_________________________

Message me, leave a comment and join in the conversation!

Thank you for listening and for being a part of this incredible community. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel (link below) where I also share insights, photography tips and behind-the-scenes content on my channel as well as my social media, so make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Threads and TikTok or check out my website for my complete portfolio of work.

YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@mattyj_ay

Learn with me
https://mattjacobphotography.com/voice-alchemy

My Newsletter
https://mattjacobphotography.com/newsletter

Website:
www.mattjacobphotography.com

Socials:
IG | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube | @mattyj_ay

Speaker 1:

Definitely been thinking about AI a lot recently and the impact it will have on my photography journey, my business and my voice, et cetera, as well as humanity and the photography industry as a whole. And my initial feelings whenever AI enters my thoughts is fear, you know. Fear of the unknown, fear of financial security, fear of having to adapt quickly, general existential threat to everything we know and love. Right, but what if it's not like that at all? And what if the invasion of AI is going to make us more powerful storytellers, more valued in our craft and more secure in our future? So let's talk about it it. Hello again, my friends, and welcome to another little episode of Moments of Mood. And for those that don't know what this is, it's kind of a substrate of the main mood podcast and it's where I enjoy talking about things that are important and of value to me, in the hope that they are to you as well. So I'm excited and, to be honest, a bit nervous to talk with you about this phenomenon that's affecting all of us, especially those who pick up cameras, write paint or just generally want to create things. Well, not just us, but everyone, of course, and it's the overwhelming surge of AI and AI-generated images and content as it becomes more and more pervasive within not just our industry but throughout society as a whole. And a few nights ago I was sitting on my floor here in the studio with a spread of prints, editing and sequencing a set for an upcoming workshop with one of my heroes, brian Scutermat, and it's the part of photography that I really love. You know that quiet game of curation, that quiet game of chess, the rhythm that appears when images start talking to each other. But halfway through this process I caught myself staring at the floor and thinking what's all this for? You know and that question has been getting a lot louder recently as a creative entrepreneur, I try to keep my ear to the ground as much as possible and stay adaptable. I think we have to.

Speaker 1:

So I have been reading and listening to everything I can about kind of this AI revolution, the speed, the scale and the way it's already rewiring our industry as well as society in general, and honestly, it's pushed me more towards analysis, paralysis more than anything, general moral and professional confusion about what to do with all of this right. Where do we fit with it? I want to be a photographer for the rest of my life and actually support my life and my dreams and my family with it, right. Will that still be possible? If so, will it be harder and more saturated? How do I keep up without diluting what makes my work mine? How do I keep this as my livelihood without needing another job to fund it? All of these kind of existential questions constantly running through my mind all the time.

Speaker 1:

But at the same time, I'm watching big brands lean hard into AI across fashion and editorial space, especially the likes of H&M and Tommy Hilfiger using AI. Generated images for their campaigns spring to mind most recently, and I see it creeping across travel and other niches in photography. I mean it's inevitable. It feels like the field is shrinking, and I'm concerned most about photographers who aren't necessarily veterans in the space yet right, the ones such as myself and likely you, still building a name without the safety net of long standing connections and reputations, or ones that are wanting to just start out now. Even when did they find footing as the commercial slice gets even thinner? Or are they destined to exist in this cottage industry, only picking up the camera, maybe as a hobby and as a pastime?

Speaker 1:

And then there's this shift in social right From marketing and reach and branding. We're all being nudged towards AI. It's an arms race Personal brands spinning up replicas of ourselves, avatars that will eventually look and sound indistinguishable from ourselves. On one hand, that can save time and energy, but on the other, it raises many brutal questions, one of which is if an avatar can show up for me, what's my role? How do I build a real human audience, one that actually cares, when feeds are crowded with flawless proxies, right, and if brand work, editorial work, even personal commissions are compressing work, even personal commissions are compressing, how on earth do I monetize my craft in a way that's honest, sustainable and, quite frankly, still feels like authentic art? That's where I was. I was on the floor covered in prints 10 by 12 prints, sequencing in one hand and asking myself these questions in the other, having a little panic.

Speaker 1:

And that's where this conversation begins and really gets a bit deeper, because I've sat with that fear for a while now, for a good couple of years, watching AI wreak havoc on society and the environment, and it's getting quicker and quicker to do so. Yes, there are wonderful things about it, but then something else began and begins to bubble up out of just curiosity, instead of asking how do I compete with AI? Maybe I started to ask what does my humanity bring to this flood of eventual perfection? What can I offer that a machine never will be able to? Well, to answer those questions, we first have to acknowledge and not be in denial about it. We have to acknowledge the reality. Ai is not going anywhere, of course. In fact, it's weaving itself into the fabric of humanity and of our creative tools, quicker and more prevalently every day.

Speaker 1:

Podcasting analytics predict that AI will soon be embedded in production software, so much so that we'll forget it's even there. Photo editing companies now provide AI-powered culling and editing features that drastically reduce the time spent on post-production. We're just at the beginning, of course. We know all about things like generative fill and these auto-selection and auto selection and auto enhancement tools that can really analyze lighting and apply base adjustments across a whole catalog, right? Some programs even can learn your editing style and create personal presets for you, with you hardly having to lift a finger. Think of softwares like Aftershoot and Imogen AI. And this is literally just the start. I keep repeating that, but it is just the beginning.

Speaker 1:

The speed at which this is all developing means that, within one to two years maximum, we won't even recognize our ancient, or relatively ancient workflows. The upside is obvious, though Tasks that used to take hours can now be done in minutes, and that is amazing. That's awesome, trust me. I love that part of it, but the downside is real, and it's the fear that our unique skills will be devalued and we'll be searching for a real place, meaningful place, in this world, right, not to mention a job or vocation that can actually pay our bills. If there's going to be things like bills and I've seen so many videos about present day AI headaches, for example, one citing ad campaigns and the present issues of things like costs still being relatively the same, time being the same, client indecision and speed of revisions still similar to human-like bottlenecks to this process. But, guys, get real. Any of these bottlenecks in the commercial photography world right now will be solved like that by AI. Just give it some time. We are talking about super intelligent AI by the end of the decade, right? This is where AI can solve its own issues and limitations immediately and continue on this upward, ever-improving iteration spiral.

Speaker 1:

I'm not sure if people are willing to accept the realities that we will be facing in that respect. This is not scaremongering. It's the opposite. We need to prepare now, given simple empirical evidence that's already out there. You just have to go and look. So don't be in denial. It's okay. We want to work with it, not around it.

Speaker 1:

And here's where I see the hope lives. While AI can mimic form, it surely can't replicate meaning. Well, certainly not yet and I would bet, not in the near future. When I look back at the images I treasure most, which I was doing on the floor the other night you know photographs of people I've met, the wonderful places I've been, the portrait of a stranger whose eyes reveal a story or I don't know, the landscape that takes my breath away and hopefully other people's. I realize that what moves me isn't the perfection, it's the connection in that moment and that experience right. But if that's of intrinsic value to me, how can we make sure it's of extrinsic value to other people? And audiences and companies seem to see it the same way. Now it's that connection. They will always want it. That slightly blurred hand, a shadow across a face, a laugh caught mid-breath those flaws are fingerprints of the human experience and there's experience behind that experience and story and connection behind it. That is what reminds us that we're alive and we're human. So it's easy to feel like the market is saturated and it's only going to get worse, but I'm convinced there will always be room for genuine human voices and it will be of value to those.

Speaker 1:

The wonderful Amy McNee continues to campaign voraciously that humans have an insatiable appetite for art and that these worlds, these intertwined worlds, aren't actually saturated. Think about it. How often have you found yourself captivated by a story, song or image that felt like it was made just for you? Right? And that's the power of authenticity. No AI can look through your lens at the exact moment your subject's expression shifts. No algorithm can feel those goosebumps on your arms when you hear a melody line or the end of a movie, whatever it might be, and decide to build kind of this chorus around it, right?

Speaker 1:

Another anchor point, I think, is practice. During the pandemic and now five years ago. It's crazy, but during that time many photographers committed to things like going on a photo walk every day. The photographer that springs to mind here is Wesley Verhoeven. He didn't do it to create viral content, right. He did it to train his eye and stay grounded, and those walks became the foundation of a book for him. But, more importantly, they deepened his relationship with his craft.

Speaker 1:

Where am I going with this? Well, consistency does something to us. It builds muscles, right, it builds muscles both literally and metaphorically. It makes us attuned to nuance and experience, and that nuance and experience is what AI still struggles to capture Now. It may solve that, of course, in the future, but at the moment it still struggles with it. And that's where we come in. So let's get practical. How can you stay human and thrive in this new landscape? And I want to break down 10 areas where you can take tangible steps.

Speaker 1:

The first one, and probably the most important one, is to craft a resonant personal brand. Your personal brand is the narrative glue that holds your creative identity together. Right, it's not about logos or fonts. People misconstrue the word branding with that. It's a story you tell through your work and the way people feel when they encounter it. So start by reflecting on your core values and what draws you to create. For example, are you passionate about preserving fleeting moments? Do you have a playful visual style? Write down three adjectives that describe your work it's more difficult than you think and then audit your online presence. Are those qualities evident on your website, social media, portfolio, pitch decks, etc. Consider creating that mood board of colors, textures and themes that inspire you and that fit with the narrative. Use, then, consistent language when you talk about your work, right. Use captions and bios that convey your values. When you receive feedback positive or negative that convey your values. When you receive feedback, positive or negative, pay attention to what people mention about your style and what they perceive your style and your voice to be, and those recurring themes can then guide how you present yourself and, over time, your brand becomes this beacon that helps audiences find you amidst the noise, and that's going to be more important than ever.

Speaker 1:

A sticky personal brand will be the most important thing for artists in the next decade. There I said it. So dig deep inside, find that voice, remember it. Don't think of branding like companies. Do. Feel the humanity in it, the authenticity and the transparency, and this is where the value will lie. It will also be where your freedom lies. When people come into my mentorship, the Voice Alchemy, one of the first things we work on is building a sticky personal brand that isn't just surface level but deeply rooted in who you are as an artist, because in a world where AI can replicate aesthetics, style, isn't enough, right.

Speaker 1:

What makes your work unforgettable is the clarity and the meaning of the story behind it, the human truth that you're trying to reveal and share with the other people out there, and that's why I built this core brand narrative process, and the link for this is in the description, so go download it. But it gives you a step-by-step framework to define what you stand for and how to communicate that. And here's how it works at a high level. First of all, define the point of your work, right. We distill it down right. One sharp sentence like I make such and such to reveal such and such within such and such, like a specific context. For example, I make cultural portraiture to reveal how traditions survive in a globalized world. Yeah, it's kind of like an elevator pitch, but this single line becomes your compass, becomes the middle of the circle.

Speaker 1:

Then state the change that you actually want to create. This doesn't have to be a huge kind of societal change, of course, but ask yourself, after someone experiences my work, what do I want them to do or understand differently? Do or understand differently, and that answer helps your audience connect with a bigger purpose than just this 2D image itself. Right? Then choose your audiences with intention. So define your primary audience whether that's editors, curators, commissioners, social media people, community-led audiences, etc. And the people that you want right now and then choose your secondary audience, so the values aligned public who will follow, share, donate or attend right, whatever it might be. This makes your outreach sharper and your messaging a lot clearer. Again, difficult process, but totally worth.

Speaker 1:

Then what you want to do is fix your thematic focus. So pick three brand pillars. The recurring themes are value that everything you create ties back to. They act as kind of filters. If a project doesn't align with at least one of these pillars, it's probably off-brand. In my own practice, pillars might include custodians of culture or edges of globalization or living ecologies of change or something like that. So we can actually formulate and curate our work into or in line to those pillars.

Speaker 1:

Then build your positioning line, something like I document some subject through this method to surface outcome for whatever audience. This becomes your north star in pitches, bios and conversations. After that, you can write your narrative spine. This is, I don't know, like five sentences that explain your world, your tension, your lens, your promise and your direction, and when strung together, it tells anyone and everyone, from editor to potential collector, maybe exactly why your work matters and where it's heading. Then you've just got to back it up with proof. Pick three projects, or go and do three projects each pillar, then curate the visuals, the constraints and publishing cadence to make your output coherent. This consistency is pivotal because it builds trust and recognition, so that's just like high level stuff. If you want more details, go down like my guide, because it's not abstract theory. When you articulate for your core brand narrative, you stop being another photographer in the feed and you start being one person who owns story, and that clarity is what clients, curators and audience invest in and will give you the edge against anything that AI can do.

Speaker 1:

Okay, the next thing I want to talk about is how to harness AI as a support tool, not a replacement, and this is really important because we often argue it's one or the other. But embrace these tools to streamline your workflow while keeping creative control. In the editing space, for example, we already know how much time can be saved with all of these softwares A lot. We don't even know what it's doing in the background. So use these features and these softwares to save time on technical tasks. Right, then invest that extra time you create by inter-refining you, your storytelling, experimenting with new techniques or just resting.

Speaker 1:

Use large language models like ChatGPT to help, obviously check writing, pitch decks, for example, or research for you and of course, so so much more right, it's only going to get better and better, but remember, over reliance on any of this can flatten your creativity and brain functions in general. There's a study um recently released from mit that found a 47% reduction in brain connectivity when people wrote with JAP-GPT rather than just by themselves. That's a lot, that's a huge reduction. I actually don't know what to do with that either. I mean, we don't want to fall behind or spend money on human services if we can save time and money, but we also don't want to rot our brains, especially our creative sides of the brain.

Speaker 1:

So I would suggest use any AI software or function at the moment as a supplement, right, not as a replacement. Use it like an intern, ask it to transcribe interviews or give feedback for your ideas or menial tasks like suggest keywords for SEO. Then you can filter those suggestions through your taste and experience. In addition, don't overlook the fact that AI is already brilliant for what it does best right now, and that is ideation, so use it for generating concepts or mood boards or pre-visualizations that can potentially spark your imagination. You know we're using it to help our brains, not take away from it. And then all you need to do is decide, consciously and with intelligence and mindfulness, which of those sparks deserve your human hands, your time and, most importantly, your emotion. And that discernment is where your value lies. Your role isn't to just produce right. Discernment is where your value lies. Your role isn't to just produce right. It's to curate and elevate, taking raw ideas if necessary and filtering them through your vision to make something meaningful.

Speaker 1:

Next, we need to try and understand photography as a different medium moving forward. There is an argument in the optimistic camp, though, that we've been here before with digital photography and CGI, but I'd argue none of that is anywhere near as pervasive and as widespread or potentially damaging as AI. But when CGI first entered the industry, obviously many thought it would end photography. Instead, it just created its own industry, cgi jobs for CGI specialists, while photography continue to thrive, and the same could be true for AI. I'm not convinced, but it could be. It won't necessarily replace photography, but it will create AI photography as its own lane. That I'm sure about. The key question for you is which medium do you want to master? Have you even ever thought about that? And how will you make that medium yours? Framing it in this way shifts the fear into potential possibility. Ai isn't the end of your work. It could be the beginning of new creative roles that didn't exist a few years ago.

Speaker 1:

Next thing I want to say is tell authentic, multi-layered stories. Yeah, it's not that easy, but what we do know is AI excels at things like generating images, but as artists and as humans, we can offer potentially narrative depth that AI can't just through lived experience. So approach your projects like stories with a beginning, a middle and an end. Before we start shooting or painting whatever it might be, brainstorm that narrative arc, for example, who or what is your protagonist? What conflict or question are you exploring? Why are you even doing it? Why you? Why now? How will you resolve or complicate the tension?

Speaker 1:

Incorporate multiple senses. Pair images with soundscapes, maybe Written reflections or behind the scenes footage, for example, if you're documenting I don't know something like a community garden, don't just show the final harvest. Capture the calloused hands planting seeds, or the weather challenges, or the laughter at the first sprout. I don't know the taste at the first sprout I don't know, or the taste of the first ripe tomato. These layers invite your audience into the experience and the story right, so share your own perspective and how the story affects you as well. That vulnerability is what builds connection. That AI can't do right now.

Speaker 1:

Then design a daily or weekly practice ritual. Then design a daily or weekly practice ritual and this sounds a little bit cliche, but I do love this one because consistency doesn't have to mean monotony. So create micro challenges that stretch you without overwhelming you. We don't want more overwhelm in today's day and age. Maybe one day limit yourself to shooting in black and white and another day photograph only shadows or reflections. If you're a painter, for example, set a timer for 10 minutes and paint with your non-dominant hand and after each session, journal or jot down a quick reflection about what you've noticed and how you felt. This is really important to tap into your own experiences and own connections. Then consider sharing parts of this practice with your audience, perhaps like a practice diary, series on Instagram stories or a weekly blog update, more newsletter article, and over time you develop a catalog of exercises that keep your eyes and your heart sharp right. Remember the guy I talked about earlier, wesley Verhoeven, who walked with his camera for 123 days? His commitment transformed his perception, so make your own version of that commitment.

Speaker 1:

Then think about real-time collaboration with real people. Even as AI progresses, one of the most valuable things you can offer is your presence right. Being on set with a client tweaking the light or moving a prop in real time gives them ownership and immediacy that AI can't replicate right now, at least not yet. So if you want to remain valuable, lean into this human element while it lasts. Invite clients into the process, let them feel the creative energy in the room and make collaboration part of your signature right. Ai can generate images, but it can't share a space with your client, it can't look them in the eye and it can't build that trust Not yet. Through that kind of same principle as well, try and build community both online and offline. This has been valid before AI was ever on the scene has been since the dawn of time, but it's more important than ever now, with AI looming over us.

Speaker 1:

So resist the instinct to see other artists as competition and reach out to peers in your city or niche and propose collaborations, whatever they might look like Host a monthly critique night where photographers bring prints in to discuss. You can even do this as a beginner. You don't need to have, like a presence or authority in this space or some kind of pedigree as a photographer, right? Just connect with people and provide that space. People will love it and will be really grateful for it. Participate in local art fairs or open studios. They're not just about selling but, more importantly, they're about connecting with people face to face. I just had a conversation with Amy Vitale and we were talking about photography grants and actually she talked about the most important thing about applying for grants is not whether you get them or not. It's not the success or failure of the application process. It's about making connections. It's about getting your work out there. It's about talking to people and understanding what's behind the curtain, and that is going to be so much more important than ever before.

Speaker 1:

And if you're into the online space, maybe join forums or discord servers for creatives. There's so much out there. Use social media to actually connect with people, not to drain your attention and energy and envy when you comment on others' work. Be generous and specific, share resources, answer questions and ask for help. It's just simple human behavior. We just don't do enough of it. And if you have a skill like lighting or editing, offer a free mini workshop in a group of some sort. That generosity often returns tenfold. Remember, word of mouth is powerful. One person who loves your work can lead to many others. You do not have to have a huge audience. So when you cultivate community, you're weaving this net that will support you when the algorithm and AI does not.

Speaker 1:

And, moving on from this, make sure you stay informed about AI trends and ethics. We're moving so fast it's almost impossible to keep up. So make it a habit to read industry blogs, listen to podcasts this one and attend things like webinars about photography and AI in the creative industries, or read articles like the one we referenced today with Amy McNee or Wesley Virho or anyone that outline both benefits time savings and personalization and the cautions of things like AI. Stay current so you can adapt your workflow and communicate intelligently with clients. Ethics are evolving so quickly. Understand legal copyright issues around AI generated content and be honest about the provenance of your work. People will appreciate it and that will help you stand out more. And if you use AI to enhance your photography, just make sure you disclose it in your caption or contract, whatever the output might be. This transparency builds trust and sets you apart from those who try to pass off AI creations as entirely their own. They're out there and they'll continue to be out there.

Speaker 1:

Next, use AI to expand your creativity, not to replace it. I think we talked a little bit about this in terms of supplementation, but think of AI as a collaborator in ideation or task management. You can ask a language model to brainstorm 10 themes for a photo series, for example, or to suggest color palettes based on a mood, for example, and then you might feed your own work into a style transfer algorithm to see surprising reinterpretations that might just spark new ideas. Experiment, trial, create by using these tools, and just remember that AI outputs are starting points. If you like something, build on it with your own hands and your own eyes, and if you don't, move on, the goal is to use AI to push you into new territory, not to let it define your aesthetic or just do everything for you.

Speaker 1:

Last but not least, protect your mental space and your joy. So, amidst the flood of perfection and the pressure to keep up, protect the part of you that fell in love with creating in the first place? Can you even remember what that was? Not every photograph or painting needs to be monetized or posted right. Keep that portion of your practice just for you, whether that's a sketchbook or a folder on your hard drive labeled play. Take breaks from screens, go out for a walk with your phone. You know, remember the world. It's still full of textures and colors you can't experience through a device. When you nurture that curiosity, you're reinforcing the very thing that AI cannot yet replicate your unique way of seeing the world.

Speaker 1:

Okay, we've covered a lot of ground and it might feel certainly does for me both exciting and daunting. But if you'd like to explore these ideas more deeply with me and have a look at how I realized photography was the path for me and how it always will be, ai or not, look at the video I'm going to link in the description and hopefully this can still give you some hope and meaning as to where you can go with your journey, artistry or not, and if you're looking for ongoing support, artistry or not. And if you're looking for ongoing support, my Voice, alchemy Mentorship Program and the group community we have over there might be exactly what you need. It's a space where myself and other artists and wannabe creatives work through these questions together. Each month, I host Q&As and we share critiques and encourage one another to push boundaries and discuss these issues as we move forward and stay authentic. You get access to my course, as well as a load of other free training materials. So yeah, if that resonates, check out that link also. I'll put it in the description, or just leave me a comment or reach out to me on Instagram. I'd love to hear about your journey, because I think we must try and stay connected more than ever, and we don't do that through our Instagram feeds. Okay, I want to leave you with this.

Speaker 1:

Floods can feel terrifying when they first arrive. They tear at the ground, they uproot everything that was familiar to us, but floods also bring life. They carve new channels, they deposit rich soil, they make space for something unexpected to grow. Now, the flood of ai sweeping through our world in my mind at the moment is no different. It has unsettled us, yes. It has replaced jobs already, yes, but it has also given us the chance to remember why we create at all.

Speaker 1:

Art is not about efficiency. It's definitely not about perfection, and I've learned that the hard way. It's about you, your voice, your story, your fingerprints on the frame. Machines may flood the world with images, but only you can make work that carries your soul. Only you can notice the overlooked detail, feel the weight of silence or capture the fragile resilience in a stranger's eyes. So don't shrink from this moment, do not be in denial. Lean into it. Let this flood remind you that being human is your greatest strength. Forge your own path, tell the stories. Only you can tell and trust that the world is hungry for them, because it is. In the end, creativity doesn't just survive disruption, it thrives on it. The future will belong to those artists that are brave enough to keep making. Thank you, anyway, for spending this time with me. Keep showing up, keep telling your unique stories, and I hope I'll see you soon. Happy shooting.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Matt Jacob

Host