For some time now AI has been changing the face of photography. Professionals are using it to create post production systems to batch process images in their retouching style. Amongst others, Adobe’s Photoshop, the grand dame of retouching software, is full on embracing AI generated content which I have found to be very useful in saving time and headaches in expanding backgrounds or cleaning up flyaways, wrinkled shirts, and other technical details. But what I wasn’t fully aware of was the proliferation of virtual and AI generated headshot services and the growing usage of this type of “photography” with both individuals and corporate organizations.
Case in point, one of my recurring clients recently got in touch to book an in-house session for some of her C-suite executives. I hadn’t heard from her in a couple of months and that was because she had been asked to try the virtual headshot company, Capturely, in order to save money. But the attempt was a fail. My client who is the operations manager for her firm said in her email to me, "the images were not what we had hoped. So now, I can return to my plan of using you for headshots. I’d rather pay more for quality instead of paying for multiple sessions."
I don’t blame them for trying. I get it. It seems like a quick, low stress and cheap fix to what is often a costly and stressful experience. Most people don’t like getting their photos taken. Most people don’t like to spend hundreds of dollars for a headshot session even when intellectually they know the importance and value of having professional photos taken in order to showcase their own professionalism.
These virtual and AI headshot platforms pose an interesting conundrum both for the clients who use them and the photographers who fear them. Will they one day replace the need for a photographer? Will the in-person session disappear? Is our likeness going to be artificially created at will and no one will care?
To address these questions I thought I should put myself through the experiment and see what real-world pros and cons might come of it.
I chose a new but decently rated platform called StudioShot. Their offer is 40 AI generated images for thirty bucks. You upload 12 or more selfies or photos of yourself and it will produce a downloadable gallery. You can make some post edit tweaks, and you have the choice of adding different artificial backdrops, lighting and clothing styles for an up-charge.
But already there's a glaring issue. Most of the photos people have of themselves these days (mine included) are taken close up with a phone camera. Phones are equipped with wide angle lenses that can seriously distort the human face. We’re now so conditioned to look through phone lenses, we’ve come to believe we’re seeing an actual mirror image of ourselves in a selfie. But when you fill the frame with your face and use that wide angle lens, it distorts reality.
The way you look in your iPhone images is not the way the world sees you. And instinctively we try to compensate for that lens distortion by pointing the camera up and above our eye level to reduce the size and shape of our nose and forehead. Which, you guessed it, further distorts the reality of our likeness. So now we’re uploading trunked images of ourselves into an artificial image generating program that doesn’t know what we really look like.
Regardless, I tried to be generous with the platform. I selected 18 images from various angles, light qualities and recent years to account for different hair styles and lengths. I also choose two un-retouched actual headshots taken a few years ago to give the software a chance to use my non selfie likeness with a proper portrait lens.
The program then asked me to select my eye and hair color from a drop down menu of standard choices, which does not account for real-world variations in people’s eye, hair color and skin tones. And I chose a simple dark background to keep the distractions in the results to a minimum to see what the AI would accomplish by focusing on my facial features and expressions.
Here are some of the results, which you will quickly realize are freakishly inconsistent. By now having shown them to a dozen people who know me, the response has been unanimous. Everyone said a version of the same thing, these photos are fascinating but they do not look like me. Personally, I only found one that as a digital thumbnail in a low-resolution use, such as a google signature, might be able to pass for a headshot. But by and large, we are not there. Yet.
The images are like drawn illustrations but fairly close to natural skin texture and tone variations in the face and neck. Because I’m white this might be a reason the results turned out better than some of the horror stories I’ve read regarding BIPOC individuals who found that AI-generated images often alter their appearances by lightening skin tones, reshaping facial features, and misrepresenting hairstyles. (Source)
Of course, there are many details in my results that showcase what doesn’t work at all. But unless you know me, you wouldn’t necessarily pick up on it. That is until we met in person at an event or a job interview.
Taken individually some of the images are halfway decent but in most I look too young, or too old, my forehead is too big or too low or my nose is too hawkish, or has too much of a blemish to it, like little pockmarks. The eyes are too far apart or too close, my face too narrow or too wide. And in both of the non-smiling ones I don’t look like myself at all, which means they used someone else’s photos to try to create a neutral expression of me.
There’s no good variety. The wardrobe is ugly and standard and does not represent my personal style at all. There’s no real human energy or warmth to my smile. There’s something tangibly lacking and distorted in every “expression”. Overall, there's something not quite human enough in these results. Even though I fed the program genuine moments, this is an approximation of me, not an authentic representation. How could it be? It's not real.
This is why a headshot session with a professional photographer still offers far more than just a simple photo. It allows you to capture multiple looks, including full-body or lifestyle shots that better reflect your profession. Whether you’re a real estate agent aiming to appear inviting or a therapist conveying warmth, the setting, expressions, and poses all work together to communicate your brand.
Unlike these AI-generated headshots that apply a one-size-fits-all approach, an experienced photographer helps bring out your best features with expert lighting, angles, and composition. And let’s not forget the right lenses for your close ups!
We can guide you in posing and facial expressions, whether you want to exude confidence, warmth, or approachability or something more assertive and serious. Even the choice of a personalized background and the right lighting play a vital role in setting the tone—elements that AI simply can’t replicate with precision.
People might choose AI headshots because they are the latest trend or are really cheap. But as the novelty fades, so does the appeal. Those who continue relying on them risk standing out in the wrong way, while those who invest in professional photography will gain the advantage of a high-quality, authentic representation. A vital consideration for anyone in the higher echelons of their career or in being the face of their business.
A great headshot session is an experience that captures you're best self, not an algorithm’s idea of who you should be. And despite the fears you might bring to your shoot, your photographer will help you relax, help you pose and will light you in ways that are flattering to you - something AI just can’t replicate. And more over, a highly skilled photographer will invest the time and energy to consider your personal brand, your desired shoot locations and your wardrobe choices in order to help you craft uniquely-you images that align with your professional and personal goals.
I absolutely believe the experience of being photographed professionally is paramount to getting results that you will love. You’ll get variety and choices that reflect the dynamic of your relationship to the photographer and more importantly, to yourself.
A great personal branding or corporate headshot session will capture the real, confident, and empowered version of you. Something my own client knew way before she was sent off to find a cheap alternative to her C-suites headshot needs.
For more information on my process and how my team and I can rock your headshots, get in touch with me at nicolette@NJPphotography.com or call 310.622.4580
A photoshoot with me is a transformative experience that gives you permission to shine in all your wonderful and beautiful uniqueness.
You'll leave your session feeling exhilarated and emboldened to tell your story, your way. Your photos will connect you with your target audience. Your photos will connect you to yourself.
With the use of my certified life coaching techniques and a fine tuned emotional IQ, I will help you feel at ease and lit up with genuine self-confidence. I invite you to book a session with me. I guarantee, you'll love the results. It might even change the way you see yourself.
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