Photographer Blair Caldwell is leaning into artificial intelligence (AI) to advance his work.
For those who may not think they are familiar with Caldwell, you have more than likely seen his work, which includes collaborating with one of the most recognizable artists of her generation, Beyoncé. He is responsible for producing the cover art for her most recent album, “Cowboy Carter,” which displays the Houston, TX-born artist on a white horse holding an American flag.
Caldwell, whose love for photography was born from doing photo shoots of his sister using a Razr flip phone, has found success in Hollywood, Fortune reports. The Tyler, TX, native had taken a bet on himself after obtaining an associate’s degree in photography from The Art Institute of Dallas. At first, when he moved to Los Angeles, CA, he leaned into doing jobs unrelated to his field in order to make a living, in addition to taking $50 headshots for locals at a nearby park.
“I was doing whatever I could to try and get my name out there and try to get in touch with someone that can help me get to the next spot,” Caldwell, 33, said, according to Fortune.
Always rising to any opportunity would lead Caldwell to land gigs with R&B singer Chrisette Michele, pop artist Normani, and eventually Beyoncé, which would permanently deter him from entertaining the idea of a conventional 9-to-5 career.
One of his earliest opportunities with the “Crazy in Love Singer” included capturing live photography during her viral “Homecoming” performance in 2018 during Coachella. At the time, Caldwell had to present a mood board to her team to be strategic about the photography direction, which was something new to him.
Since then, Caldwells’s portfolio has only strengthened and his approach towards photo sessions has advanced, largely due to the incorporation of AI technology. For example, he mentions his use of Tome, an AI-driven storytelling platform that can produce mood boards, presentations, one-pagers, and more.
“When I discovered Tome, it was as if I had an assistant helping me,” Caldwell told Fortune. “I would input some images, and Tome’s AI would lay it out in a visually compelling way that helped me not only to crystallize my vision, but it actually became something I could share with clients.”
Caldwell has also found AI useful for sourcing photos for ideas and to capture “mood, aesthetic, lighting, clothing, scenery and photographic style.”
He explained, “I do love that it gives you an outlook on what you might not have. You can be looking for something in particular, and an AI will give me an example of what I’m looking for, but show me in a different way.”
Despite lingering hesitations regarding the use of AI, Caldwell appears to advocate for its integration into his business. However, he acknowledges the fundamental importance of human presence in photography.
As he puts it, “[Photography] is real, shooting someone is real,” Caldwell said. “Being in front of someone is an experience.”
