My Opinion on AI Headshots: The Fast-Food Comparison
AI is moving fast, and honestly, I think it is incredibly exciting. I am a big fan of technology, and I think AI has some amazing capabilities with even more potential ahead. Used well, it can help people brainstorm, create, organize, and move faster. I understand the irony of saying this in a blog post about photography, but I do not think the conversation has to be “AI versus photographers.” I think the better question is: how can both exist in ways that actually serve people well?
A good example is the AI-generated LinkedIn profile photo. It is quick, easy, and often inexpensive. You upload a few photos, pick a style, and suddenly you have something that looks “professional enough” for the moment. There is definitely a place for that, especially if someone needs something immediately and does not have the time or budget for a full photography session.
But I also think of it like fast food.
Fast food is convenient. It is easy to get, usually affordable, and it solves an immediate problem. You are hungry, you are busy, and you need something now. But most of the time, it is not something you are excited to talk about later. It can be messy, rushed, inconsistent, and not exactly the thing you would proudly recommend as a great experience. It works in the moment, but it is rarely memorable.
A local, independent restaurant is different. When you choose a great local spot, you are supporting your community. You are paying for skill, service, taste, atmosphere, and care. There is usually a person or a team behind the experience who has put time into their craft. When it is done well, you want to tell people about it. You remember the meal, the space, the service, and the feeling of being there.
That is how I think about professional photography.
An AI headshot can be the fast-food option. It can be useful, quick, and convenient. But a photography session with a real photographer offers something different. It gives you direction, lighting, environment, expression, personality, and a real human experience. It is not just about creating a clean image. It is about creating a photograph that actually feels like you.
A professional photographer can see the small things AI often misses: posture, expression, confidence, mood, styling, movement, and how you carry yourself in the moment. A good portrait is not just technically polished. It has presence. It has intention. It has a sense of who someone is beyond a generated version of what a “professional person” should look like.
There is also something important about trust. When someone sees your LinkedIn photo, website portrait, or personal branding image, they are not just looking at whether the photograph is clean. They are getting a first impression of you. If the photograph looks overly generated, overly smoothed, or slightly artificial, it can create distance instead of connection. A real photograph helps people feel like they are seeing a real person.
This does not mean AI is bad. I do not believe that. I think AI can be a powerful tool, especially for planning, inspiration, mood boards, visual concepts, and creative direction. It can help people understand what they like before they ever step in front of a camera. In that way, AI can support the photography process instead of replacing it.
For me, the future is not about rejecting technology. It is about using technology thoughtfully while still valuing human creativity, taste, and connection. AI can help generate ideas, but a photographer helps create an experience. AI can produce an image, but a photographer can create a portrait.
So yes, an AI-generated LinkedIn photo may work as a quick fix. It might be the thing you use when you need something immediately. But if you want something thoughtful, intentional, and personal—something you are proud to share—working with a photographer is still worth it.
Sometimes fast food gets the job done. But sometimes, you want the local restaurant—the one with real care behind it, real craft, and an experience you actually want to talk about.