Another Perspective on AI and Photography

by Skip Cohen
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Yesterday I was interviewed by a writer for an excellent company that specializes in AI. They're working on a white paper document with contributors from a variety of different fields. I'm a big fan of AI, but I get frustrated with many of you. Some of you either see AI as the cure-all for everything you're missing, or you go the other way and worry about AI replacing your skills.

Any time I've ever been interviewed, been a podcast guest, etc., there are always things I think about after my initial unrehearsed responses. I've been thinking a lot about my conversation yesterday and my opinions on AI, which at times were more negative than positive.

The truth is, the combination of AI with many of the old standards gives a business owner the perfect tools to expand reach, customer loyalty and build more brand awareness. What I hate is the way so many businesses act like AI will make up for their incompetence in other areas, especially marketing.

As business owners, you still have to build relationships. You still need integrity to build trust, keep your promises, deliver on time, and exceed expectations! In fact, in a world that's driven by text messages and social media, that personal analog touch is even more important. Photography is still a word-of-mouth business, especially when it comes to Customer Service.

And as far as being replaced by AI, you still have to tell the client's story. Whether in an album or an individual print, clients are trusting you to see the world through their eyes. 

Technology never slows down, and you have to keep up with all the trends and ways to grow your skill set, but from my perspective, the demand will continue to be there for artists who listen to their clients. Ed Foreman, a motivational/marketing speaker many years ago, gave me some of the very best advice:

"If I can see the world through my client's eyes, then I can sell my client what my client buys!" It's a great concept, going well beyond the old line of "put yourself in their shoes." You have to understand what people in your target audience love most, what they worry about, and what/who are most important to them.

Years ago, I did a podcast interview with Mary Ellen Mark. She talked about covering the screen on the back of everyone's camera and forcing them to shoot like they were working with film. Why? Because she wanted people to stop "chimping" to see if they got the shot. The reality is, the real emotion in an image might have happened after the photographer moved on! For example, a grandmother hugging her granddaughter, a bride. What if the most powerful shot wasn't the hug, but the tear in Grandma's eyes a minute or two after the hug? If the photographer chimped and moved on, that special moment was missed.

The bottom line, AI is an incredible asset to understand, but don't rule out some very old-school approaches. From direct mail to pounding the pavement in your community, to relationship building and keeping in touch with your clients past, present, and future...the heart of your business is still YOU!