Team Headshots: AI vs. Professional Photographer
AI Creates Unreal Corporate Headshots Introducing astonishingly realistic portraits churned out by artificial intelligence. These individuals are entirely fabricated.
Have you recently searched for "headshot photographers" on Google? The outcomes are quite astonishing. Right before I began writing this, my Google search showed 4 paid advertisements appearing at the very top for artificial intelligence headshot creators. If this doesn't worry you, it definitely should.
This isn't one of those blog posts suggesting the demise of the field, definitely not. What I intend to emphasize here is that AI companies are currently targeting us. They are investing heavily in order to disturb our industry and eliminate us from the scene. Now, here's the positive aspect: they are not able to rival us just yet. So, if you've been experiencing some apprehension about AI lately, keep reading.
The photographers I am acquainted with who are fearful of AI snatching away their livelihood lack a clear comprehension of our actual work. Do you perceive yourself as a photographer? If so, you are overlooking the essence of the headshot industry. You are not merely a photographer; instead, you are an entrepreneur managing a small-scale enterprise that provides a service. You are a solution provider. At every juncture, your responsibility is to alleviate your clients' burdens and enhance their quality of life.
When it comes to team headshots, AI actually causes more issues rather than providing solutions, and I have evidence to back this up.
AI Creates Terrifying Team Headshots
Imagine you work as the administrative personnel in a business that employs 50 individuals. Your boss assigns you the responsibility of finding a solution to obtain headshots for each employee to feature on the upcoming website. After conducting some online research, you come across the idea of using AI-generated headshots as a viable and cost-effective option. Now, let me explain what is likely to happen if you choose this route.
Initially, you need to choose the AI headshot generator you will utilize. Afterward, you must gather 10 to 20 photographs of each team member. Consequently, you invest the next fortnight locating and reminding each team member to provide you with 10 to 20 photos of their preference. Best of luck trying to gather all those pictures. Perhaps two weeks is an overly hopeful estimation!
Next, you have to transfer all those thousand photographs or even more to the headshot creator and patiently await a few days for the outcomes. The headshot creator will present you with approximately twenty-five to a hundred choices for each individual, and now it's time for you to involve those fifty individuals in the process of reviewing and picking their preferred headshot. Expect this step to take another few weeks of persistent efforts in locating and persuading people.
Alternatively, you might consider opting for the alternative approach of enduring a few unpleasant days sifting through countless alternatives and selecting one for each individual. Merely rely on luck and pray that you make the correct choices, or else brace yourself to handle the consequences.
Imagine if you skip all that unnecessary stuff and simply dispatch an email instructing your team to utilize this AI headshot creator for a website headshot. Well, you'll still be in pursuit of people for weeks until it's accomplished, offering assistance to those who struggle with its usage, and confronting the undeniable certainty that each person will opt for a headshot that appears strikingly dissimilar to others'.
After dedicating weeks to this project, you have successfully completed it! Take a moment to acknowledge the substantial amount of money you managed to save. However, the budget team's announcement is quite disheartening. They intend to significantly reduce my marketing budget for the upcoming year. This news appears to be less than favorable.
Hiring A Human Photographer Made Easy
Let's give it a go in an alternative manner.
Imagine if you disregard all the advertisements promoting AI headshot generators and opt to employ a headshot expert from your locality for your team. You contact the studio, discuss a suitable price through conversation, and agree on a date for the headshot session. Let's assume that the photographer in question is myself, purely for the purpose of this discussion.
Immediately, our team designs a personalized webpage for your staff members, enabling easy access for each individual to choose a convenient time slot for their professional photograph. We transport a mobile photography studio to your workplace and capture headshots for every individual, offering assistance in selecting their preferred image for on-the-spot retouching.
In just a couple of working days, we will provide your entire team with a professionally enhanced headshot. Each person will have their own private gallery, where they can easily download their polished headshot with a single click. Additionally, we will send you a link to a complete gallery of all the finalized headshots, conveniently organized in alphabetical order. With just one click, you can effortlessly obtain these images to showcase on your website.
If you have team members who work remotely or couldn't attend the headshot day, our team offers a personalized schedule for them. They can book an appointment at our conveniently situated studio whenever they are available. Once their headshots are ready, we will include them in the same gallery, ensuring everything remains organized in a single location.
As my team handles all the workload on your behalf, you can focus on your main responsibilities and permanently resolve the issue of headshots.
Which of those choices do you prefer? At first glance, AI appears to be more convenient. While it may be a suitable solution for some individuals, as you expand a project, the actual effort required to use AI for team headshots is much greater than it initially seems. Opting to hire a skilled headshot professional is a superior choice in almost every aspect.
Impress Clients: Blow Them Away
The key is that, as a business proprietor, you need to be strategic in communicating that message and confront the machines. If you specialize in headshot photography, I would like to offer you three suggestions on how to effectively convey that precise message to your customers and provide an extraordinary experience that will amaze them.
Ensure that your website has a designated section solely dedicated to team headshots. Display the reputable brands that have already put their trust in you, showcase client reviews, present your pricing options, and emphasize how your studio tackles client issues and simplifies their lives. Corporate clients seek a hassle-free experience, so emphasize how you can provide exactly that. Strive to make every aspect as effortless as possible for them.
#2: Resist the power of automation and boost the flow of visitors to your business through targeted Google Ads. Ensure that these ads highlight the exclusive advantages that your studio provides for teams. These could include online booking, convenient on-site services, speedy project completion, and much more. It is essential that these ads direct users to the exact webpage related to the advertised benefits instead of redirecting them to the homepage. Streamline the user experience by minimizing the number of clicks required.
Number 3: Ensure that you are utilizing the correct software and systems to surpass your clients' expectations. At our studio, we employ 17 Hats to establish automated workflows for booking and welcoming new clients, Acuity for organizing headshot sessions, Capture One for connecting cameras to computers, and Headshot Tools (a service I established) for conveniently renaming, selecting, and delivering headshots. Throughout the entire process, we meticulously design our client experience to eliminate any potential difficulties and simplify their lives. Our objective is to spoil our clients to the extent that they will never settle for anyone else.
Using AI headshot generators can be a feasible option for specific individuals or businesses. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that while they may save money, they also present numerous challenges for companies to overcome. As a skilled photographer who focuses on capturing team headshots, your primary goal should not be to cut costs, but rather to excel at problem-solving like a superhero.
Focus on the distinct qualities you bring to the table, which cannot be replicated by technology. Ensure this unique selling point is prominently showcased in your marketing efforts. Additionally, complement it with captivating visuals and a flawless user experience. By doing so, you will maintain a competitive edge and remain ahead of the game.
Author Bio: Gary Hughes is a professional photographer who operates his business in the sunny state of Florida. The viewpoints shared in this blog post belong exclusively to him. For additional samples of his photography, please visit his personal website.
