(Where I’m at right now — and why I’d love to hear your thoughts)

Recently, a former client of mine – someone I’ve photographed a few times over the past 10 years – shared a post about how fake brand photography is. And she used one of my images to make her point.

She wasn’t criticising photographers specifically, but she did label all brand photography as ‘fake’ (basically claiming it was inauthentic AF) to help sell her new AI-generated photo and video tool.

The image she chose? An ‘awkward’ shot of herself (her words), taken during a shoot where we captured a whole range of images. And I get why she might prefer AI imagery over a photoshoot – on a scale of 1-10, she’s at the extreme end of not wanting to get in front of a camera. But she still did it, multiple times over the years, because she knew she needed to show up for her business.

Here’s the thing – awkward or not, the image she shared was actually her. Real skin. Real hair. Real energy. Out of all the great shots she had, she chose the one that proved her point.

And that’s what’s been sitting with me.

Here’s where I’m at with AI photography.

I don’t think it’s all bad. I don’t think it’s all good. I do think it’s here to stay – and I know I’ll have a play with it at some point soon (honestly, up until now I just haven’t had time).

I know AI photography will get better. It will learn to mimic imperfections. It will start to replicate the real ‘us’ more convincingly.

Maybe, in time, we’ll see a mix – some AI imagery, some real photography, each used for different purposes. I can definitely see how it would be a godsend for people who hate the camera or can’t invest in shoots.

But right now, I have two big concerns.

1. AI Perfection Disintegrates Trust

Audiences are smart. They know when something is too perfect to be real. And right now, AI-generated photography is too perfect. Flawless skin, perfect proportions, dream wardrobes, chic backdrops (hello, me on a balcony in Paris with my laptop).

It’s the same problem stock photography has always had: it doesn’t connect.

It doesn’t feel personal. It doesn’t make me believe I’m seeing you.

And trust is everything.

When I look at an image and suspect it’s not real, my connection to the person behind it weakens. The same thing happens when I read an email or social post that sounds like a chatbot (which is a lot right now) …I disconnect immediately, whether I want to or not.

2. It Chips Away at Women’s Confidence

Women are already flooded with messages that we’re ‘not enough’.

We’re getting Botox younger and younger. We’re told we ‘look old’ at 50 when we just… look 50. And we’re praised for looking 30 at 50 (hello, Kardashian/Jenner culture).

When our feeds fill with AI-generated versions of women – polished, poreless, impossibly proportioned – what does that tell us? That even on our best days, our real selves aren’t worth showing up as.

And that’s not true. Some of the most magnetic images I’ve ever taken were the ones my clients thought were ‘awkward’ – because they showed personality, quirks, and a spark of real human energy. The kind of thing you just can’t fake.

For women in business, many of whom already struggle with visibility, replacing that authenticity with digital perfection sets a new, impossible benchmark. Confidence is fragile enough without adding yet another reason to doubt ourselves.

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve photographed thousands of women. And I can tell you, for so many of them, the experience of a photo shoot has been a turning point in their confidence. Instead of clinging to the old stories they’ve carried for years – that they’re not photogenic, not thin enough, not polished enough – they see themselves in a new light. They look at their images and love what they see: themselves at their best. Beautiful. Strong. Empowered. And above all, real.

So… Where Will This Land?

I honestly don’t know.

We’ve been here before. When Kindles came out, books survived. And when digital photography arrived, film photography didn’t die.

I like to think brand photography will be the same. AI will take up space, but there will always be people who value authenticity – who want to see you, not your avatar.

Maybe the future is a blend. Maybe it’s choosing real for connection and AI for convenience. I’m not sure yet.

But for now, just as we’ve realised that stock photography doesn’t build trust, I believe AI photography (at least in its current form) doesn’t either.

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this.

Is AI-generated photography something you’d consider using? Have you already? Do you think audiences will adapt and embrace it – or will they always crave something real? And what will it mean for both photographers and us as business owners when we get to a stage where we can’t tell between the two? Possibly that the world will lose yet another form of art, expression, and creativity… and we will lose our confidence to show up as our true, authentic selves.

While I might not have all the answers yet, I know one thing for sure… whatever tools we use, trust and connection are still what matter most.