I Asked AI to Photograph Me (And It Taught Me Why Personal Branding Photography Still Matters)
Nice try, Chagpt, but I don’t look anything like this!
This week, I tried something I’ve been curious about as a branding and portrait photographer.
I uploaded my photos to AI and asked it to create a comprehensive personal brand image library for my website, social media, and LinkedIn. Essentially, a complete set of personal branding photos without doing a photoshoot.
And the results?
Honestly… technically impressive.
The lighting was nice. The skin looked smooth. There was a laptop, a coffee cup, a workspace, a camera, even a whiteboard — everything you would expect from a business headshot or personal branding photography session.
It looked professional. But it didn’t look like me. And that’s when I realised something important. AI can create an image. But a professional photographer reads a person.
The real problem isn’t how you look in photos.
Most people who enquire about a photoshoot say the same thing:
“I’m just awkward in photos.”
I hear it from business owners, consultants, therapists, creatives and entrepreneurs — especially women over 40 who need updated website photos or LinkedIn headshots but don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Here’s the truth:
It is rarely a posing problem. It’s a comfort problem. When you’re uncomfortable, your body tightens. Your shoulders lift. Your smile freezes. Your eyes stop communicating. AI cannot see that. AI cannot slow down, change direction, adjust energy or build trust. And that’s actually the job of a photographer—not just taking photos, but helping someone feel natural and confident in front of the camera.
What actually happens in a professional photoshoot
When someone books a branding shoot with me, they often think they are paying for photos. They’re not. They’re paying for guidance.
Before the session, we talk about:
What to wear for a personal branding photoshoot.
How to prepare for a headshot session.
How you want your business to feel online.
Where the images will be used (website, LinkedIn, social media, speaking, press)
On the day, my job is not to stand behind a camera and hope for the best.
My job is to: direct posture, guide your hands, adjust your stance, coach your expression, slow you down and create comfort in front of the camera. Because confidence is visible. You can’t Photoshop confidence. And you can’t generate it.
Why AI headshots still feel generic.
The AI images I created looked like a person having a business. But they didn’t look like my business. There was no personality. No story. No warmth. No lived experience.
That’s because branding photography is not about objects (a laptop, coffee, an office).
It’s about connection. Your website photos are often the first interaction someone has with you. Before a discovery call. Before a DM. Before an enquiry. If your images feel generic, your business feels generic. A strong personal branding photography session doesn’t just give you nice photos.
It communicates: credibility, approachability, professionalism, and trust! And trust is what makes someone choose you.
The business impact of professional branding photography.
Good branding photos do more than make your website look better.
They help:
• clients recognise you
• people trust you faster
• your LinkedIn profile feels credible
• your social media feels personal
• your offers feel legitimate
When a business owner invests in professional business headshots, they’re not just updating a photo.
They are signalling:
“I take my business seriously.”
AI images can fill a space.
But they don’t build a relationship.
People don’t hire perfect images.
They hire people they feel safe with.
The real value of a branding photographer
A camera captures light. A photographer captures behaviour. My job as a portrait photographer is to notice the moment you stop performing and start being yourself — the relaxed shoulders, the natural expression, the genuine smile. That’s the image clients respond to. That’s the image that converts website visitors into enquiries. And that’s why, even in a world of AI, professional photography still matters. Because your business isn’t a stock image.
It’s you.
