The irony was never lost on me. We’d spend countless hours scouring remote landscapes, searching for that untouched, pristine setting, only to later enhance it digitally – making it look even more pristine, as if nature itself weren’t quite up to the task. We weren’t just capturing the scenes that were requested, we were taking parts of it, editing it, and ultimately, reinventing it to match what people expect pristine nature to look like. Not the messy, unpredictable version you find in real life, but the polished, idyllic version that viewers see on Nat Geo or Discovery Channel. We would shoot extra frames to the sides, below and above the hero action – extra rock, grasses, splashes, and trees, just so we’d have source material for retouching or adding extra space. We built a library of parts to construct the perfect whole. Like Dr. Frankenstein, but with Photoshop instead of lightning bolts… and reconstruct we did. Seemed like clients were never satisfied unless some dog, cat or location had the perfect part added to it.

Our industry has a peculiar relationship with suffering, as if the quality of an image is directly proportional to the misery endured in preparing to capture it or build it. So when AI came along I needed to find out whether it would be competition, a tool to alleviate some of the pain points of production, or a combination of both. The images above and below – images I shot in various California locations – became my benchmark for determining where AI generators could go.

I began to experiment, inputting my lighting parameters, lens tech, camera info and angles – even dog mannerisms gleaned over years of commercial pet productions into Generative AIs like Dall-E and Midjourney to see what it would churn out. As many of you know the early results were less than stellar, some downright laughable – more like if I’d asked a Golden Retriever to paint a picture of another Golden Retriever.

As the tech got better, I started wrestling with those big, messy questions that keep philosophers up at night: Was AI going to save us or destroy us? Help creativity or kill it? Or was it just sitting there in digital limbo, confused about its own existence, like a dog deciding if he really likes water, splashing maniacally, after jumping into a pool for the first time. Below are some of the early results that sparked this philosophical spiral.

As apps like Midjourney and DALL-E scraped countless images from the internet, their ability to generate stunningly realistic visuals improved exponentially. What started as a novelty quickly became something else entirely – a shift in the way creative work is made and perceived.

The turning point for me came when I entered a prompt describing an image I had painstakingly created during a two day production in Joshua Tree National Park. I included every detail: technical settings, camera angles, artistic choices, the mood I wanted to convey. In seconds, Midjourney produced an image that wasn’t identical but was shockingly close – close enough to raise an eyebrow. My original copyrighted photo had never been uploaded to the AI, yet here it was, echoed back at me in a way that was both mildly impressive and very unsettling.

Fortunately none of the images that are generated can actually be copyrighted. AI can illegally scrape a creative’s work, violating copyright, but then the output is produces can’t be copyrighted, at least not yet.

AI-generated images currently have unclear ownership and usage rights. While they’re widely available, their legal status for commercial use remains in a gray area. As of early 2024, the U.S. Copyright Office has clearly stated that AI-generated images cannot be copyrighted if they were created solely by AI without substantial human creative input. However, there are some important nuances.

Humans CAN copyright images that combine AI and human creativity, where they made significant creative choices and modifications to the AI output. This is important. Commercial clients want exclusivity. They want control. They want to know that their campaign images won’t show up in their competitor’s ads next week.

This is where the real opportunity lies.

Then Adobe dropped Generative Fill into our laps, and holy hell, did that change everything, especially for outdoor settings. This was a tool that could conjure up any background we wanted, perfectly matched to our greenscreen shots, no location scouts or permits required. No more praying to the weather gods or chasing magic hour. The implications were pretty staggering. Many of those locations we had spent days scouting could now be created in a few hours of experimentation, with perfect weather and ideal lighting conditions to match the original shot.

Creating Multiple Versions of a Shot for Different Markets

One of the lesser realized, but incredibly useful techniques I’ve picked up is using AI to create multiple versions of a single shot, each tailored for different markets. Let’s say you’re working with a global brand that wants their product photography to reflect local preferences or seasonal events. Our AI productions can make this process pretty fast and seamless.

Saving Those “Almost” Shots

Every pet photographer knows those frustrating moments – when everything’s perfect except for that trainer’s hand in the corner. With Generative Fill, these shots aren’t trashed anymore. We’re delivering way more usable images from each session.

Casting Shots Can Become Finals

Sometimes magic happens during greenscreen casting sessions right in our studio. Any pet photographer knows that you can’t command a perfect moment – those authentic head-tilting gems often happen when you least expect them. That’s why we keep our cameras ready even during what’s supposed to be “just” a casting call. More than once, these spontaneous shots have ended up being exactly what the client wanted. And yes, our four-legged talent always gets their well-deserved compensation.

The Future Is Both Traditional and New Technology

There will always be times when location shooting is exactly right for a project. The thrill of capturing that perfect moment. But now we have choices. We can match the approach to the project. We can let the creative vision – not the logistics – drive our decisions.

Another Game Changing Tool To Work More Efficiently

For us AI is about adding tools to our creative toolkit. About expanding what’s possible. They said the same about Adobe Photoshop when it came out – “oh, well, that’s photoshopped, not REAL photography. We’re combining both.

The future of pet photography isn’t about choosing between traditional and new. It’s about having the freedom to choose what works best for each unique project. And that’s something worth getting excited about.

The best part?

We’re giving our clients more options while keeping what makes pet photography special – those genuine expressions and movements. We’re not trying to replace traditional photography here – we’re just supercharging it, giving us more creative control while keeping things efficient and budget-friendly.

Bottom line: if you’re looking for endless creative possibilities without the endless budgets, our greenscreen pet productions might be exactly what you need. You get the personality of the pet, the vision of your brand, and none of the usual hassles.

Over the years, my team and I have found ourselves in some truly unforgettable adventures, from heart-thumping shoots deep in the wilderness to the equally thrilling (and occasionally baffling) challenges of capturing the perfect shot in complicated urban settings. And while nothing beats the rush of a big fat location production, we understand that budgets don’t always stretch that far.

That’s why we’ve been pouring our energy into creating something equally compelling right here in the studio – immersive pet lifestyle settings brought to life with both still photography and video (stay tuned, exciting things are coming). We’d love the opportunity to talk with you about your vision and how we can help bring it to life, no matter which approach you prefer. Get in touch here.