My 100% Honest Take on AI Product Photography

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Yup, today we’re talking about the bane of every professional photographer’s existence: AI image generators.

I took one of those AI product photography app for a test drive recently because I’m a masochist incredibly curious and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. I also wanted to see how good they really are, you know, in case I need to find a new profession in the next couple of years.

Let’s just say, I have some thoughts—not just as a photographer but as a shopper, too.

But before we dive into the pros and cons of AI product photography, here’s the original image I uploaded:

essential oil product photography
Photo by Steph Pollard

And here’s what popped out of the AI machine:

Ai product photography

Let’s discuss.

The Good

You might expect me to say that I hate AI. (And it’s true, sometimes I do.)

But I also understand why it exists: we’re all just trying to survive in a capitalistic society and having more money helps us do that.

When I look at AI from this perspective, I can appreciate some of what it has to offer.

The photos aren’t that bad

Some were even downright good… for what they are.

As expected, the props, colors and lighting were pretty random. But if you don’t want your photos to tell a story, set a mood or standout, you’ll be happy.

Just shuffle the generator enough times and occasionally something highly realistic looking would pop out. I even found myself pleasantly surprised a couple times, which I wasn’t expecting.

It’s easy

I uploaded an existing photo, searched for a background and the generator did the rest of the work.

While my mom might run into issues, I think most people could figure things out in 15 minutes or less. That’s a heck of a lot faster than learning how to use an iPhone or DSLR camera well.

It’s cheap

I think this is why most people use AI image generators. If you’re just getting your business started and you don’t know much about photography, what’s not to love about unlimited product photos for the low low price of $9.99 a month?

We all need to start somewhere and I respect those who hustle their way to small business success.

So I won’t knock it if you need to stretch your revenue and AI helps you do that.

The Bad

Let’s get this out there up front: I’m a product photographer (you already knew that). I’m also a highly visual, creative artist who enjoys making beautiful things, so I tend to have a natural aversion to what I call “visual mud” (most of the AI crap I see on the internet falls into this category.)

So, yes, I’m looking at AI through the eyes of a photographer who still wants to be able to earn a living in a few years. But even if I wasn’t a photographer, I’d still feel this way.

You’re missing out on the strategy

In any business, when you hire a professional, whether it be a graphic designer, photographer, or marketing guru, you’re not just hiring them to create the thing. You’re hiring them for their strategic vision, knowledge of the market and ability to boost sales—because that’s what they’re actually providing.

You want your customers to click “add to cart” and you think pretty photos will do that.

But a good photographer knows that photos need to make your customers feel a certain way in order to entice them to buy. They also know how to use color theory, props, light, composition, depth of field and shutter speed to create that emotion in a way that aligns with your brand.

Sure, you can DIY your website and use AI to whip up a few product images, but when you do that, you’re missing out on the reasoning and strategy that actually converts browsers into buyers.

Your options are limited

In every product shoot, I take multiple photos of each product, all of which are woven together with similar props, colors, lighting and backgrounds so they feel like a cohesive unit.

When I was playing around with AI, I couldn’t do that. The AI background image was generated based on the photo I uploaded. The same product photo generated an identical background image. A different product photo generated a different AI background image.

I couldn’t really create a suite of images that all looked different but similar.

The last thing shoppers want to see are photos that are all over the place and an e-commerce store that feels messy. It makes your brand seem untrustworthy.

Customers can tell it’s fake

AI images have an uncanny valley feel to them.

Maybe the lighting isn’t quite right, the props in the background look like amorphous blobs, or nothing is in focus except for the product itself which is in perfect focus.

You can’t quite put your finger on it, but something about AI product photography images feels off.

It’s that off-ness that let’s you know it’s AI generated—and it’s obvious to your customers.

It makes your brand look cheap

Don’t shoot the messenger on this one. But customers trust brands that have a lot of social proof to back them up.

And what’s one of the biggest forms of social proof a company can have? Sales.

Revenue.

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Shark Tank you know that the sharks always ask how much revenue a company made in the last year. Sales = proof of concept.

Brands that are making lots of sales know the importance of investing in the visual side of the their business and they can afford to hire a professional photographer to elevate their visuals.

Brands that aren’t making sales will use fake-looking, DIY photos rather than outsource it.

Customers instinctively know this.

Whether true or not, AI product photography images make shoppers think: How good could this product actually be if this company isn’t making money?

While I can’t speak for everyone, as a shopper, I don’t buy from brands that have cheap looking photos. I think they’re B-league or about to go out of business.

So tell me: what do you think about AI images? Let me know in the comments.

ai product photography for brands

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