Brand Photography and the Earned Pursuit of Human Creatives

A Conversation with Dan Holz
Fieldborn Creative Co-Founder Shares His 20 Year's Experience Capturing Stunning Images and Videos for Leading Brands

"Some of the best adventure photography is about the story behind the image. It’s about the whole team that went into the backcountry. Maybe it’s on an expedition. Maybe it’s just an overnight on a backpacking trip. But they’re out there actually earning it. And while you are out there earning it, a story unfolds. Where’s the story when you hit the AI button?"

"Renegade Human Creatives"
from the Jacobson Communication article series

---

Dan Holz is not afraid of generative AI taking over the creative field; at least not for brands who want to have authentic relationships with their customers. If you've been in the outdoor adventure sector for even a minute, you've seen Dan's visually stunning work with brands like REI, National Geographic, Yakima, Patagonia, Expedia, Adidas, and more. As the Co-Founder and Creative Producer of Fieldborn Creative, Dan's work is all about human-made visual content that tells a great story, and as feral PR consultant, I wanted to know Dan's thoughts on the evolution of the industry as well as what's missing when marketers and creatives hit the "generative AI button," in place of real creatives.

Q: How did you get started with this work?

A: Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been passionate about outdoor pursuits, whether that was trail running, rock climbing, hiking, or backpacking. At the same time, I loved photography. Back in the ’90s, when I was in high school, I would spend hours in the darkroom, developing photos and learning the craft hands-on. I absolutely loved it.

Along the way, I figured out that I really wanted to marry those two passions together. Flipping through old editions of National Geographic back in the day really solidified my desire to learn the craft even more and instilled such a wanderlust in me. I honed my craft a little bit at a time, learning every step of the way.

Before I knew it, I found myself working in the outdoor industry, working for retailers and tapping into what the industry was about. Slowly, I put it all together, improving my skill set, expanding my range, and making strong connections within the outdoor industry. I surrounded myself with amazing people, found some great mentors along the way, and haven’t looked back since.
​
Q: What do you think really shapes your eye for the kind of photography you do?

​A: I think when it comes to basic composition in photography, you learn the rules, but eventually,  you learn how to break them. A lot of developing your eye is simply practice—learning how to see the world, view it through your lens, and figure out how to interpret a scene as it’s happening.

But since so much of our work is specific to outdoor pursuits, and by being a practitioner of these pursuits, whether it’s climbing, running, biking, or whatever it might be, your eye is naturally cued into authenticity. So you’ll spot something that’s inauthentic right out of the gate. For example; ​

"You’ll spot a climbing or mountain bike image a mile away if that model has never actually rode single track. The body mechanics are going to be incorrect, certain safety parameters aren’t going to be followed, and there’s just so much nuance that goes into it. If everything’s done right, no one’s going to notice. But if one little thing is off, it’s going to scream at the viewer."

Q: There’s a fundamental disconnect between AI-generated photography, and real brand-centric photo shoots. Talk about that. As someone who’s done tons of real on-the-ground photo shoots, what are marketers missing when they hit the generative AI button? How does that hit with the audience?

A: Some of the best adventure photography out there is about the story behind the image. It’s about the whole team, the photographer included, that went into the backcountry. Maybe it’s on an expedition. Maybe it’s just an overnight on a backpacking trip. But they’re out there actually earning it. And while you are out there earning it, what happens is a story unfolds. Where’s the story when you hit the AI button? Where’s the earned pursuit? Is it technically a perfect image? (Sure, if all the fingers are counted correctly.) But all it is is an averaged medium, a conglomerate built off the backs of people who actually pursue the craft, who earned their place by being there. That experience simply cannot be replicated.

Now, can a brand save a ton of money by hitting that AI button and cut a whole team out of the equation? Sure. What’s that trade-off going to be? Your work is going to look just like everybody else’s. How are you going to stand out?

"What’s the purpose of an image? To make people feel like you’re there, right? So it’s not just the photography that’s hurt. It’s the story that’s removed. The soul of the image is taken out of the equation. Photography is not just about pretty pictures."

Q: Why is human-made photography, especially for outdoor brands, so important?

A: It depends on what level we’re talking about. Studio photography is important because you need to show a product’s feature set in a controlled environment. People need to know what they’re buying—what the color is, what the texture is, what the features are, etc. That’s pretty darn important from a sales perspective.

But when it comes to lifestyle imagery, the point is to inspire and create inspirational, sometimes aspirational, imagery. You want people to buy into the adventure and the story around the product itself. It’s not about being gratuitous with the company’s products. You’re showcasing their entire brand identity in every image or every video.
​
And if that brand identity is built upon the back of an AI prompt, it sounds like that brand needs to do a little bit of soul-searching.

Q: What do you think is behind this drive for C-suite executives to use AI instead of hire a professional? Do you think this trend will last?

A: No, absolutely not. I think this pendulum is going to swing back so far that I feel pretty comfortable where I’m at as a commercial creative.

Sure, there are going to be some brands who will lean into AI and flood their streams with as much cheap content as they can because they have the ability to do so. Maybe it’s budgetary. Maybe it’s a lack of creative leadership. Maybe they’re just learning and haven’t really understood the importance of brand storytelling yet. I could guess that maybe some executives don’t really see the actual ROI in true creative work themselves. Perhaps it’s just a budget-driven company, and that’s that.
​
But then you’ve got brands that do an amazing job and realize that they can build an entire following, a community even, and bring these people around the campfire, as it were, to share really cool stories. That’s going to attract a lot more people…the right people.

"Even if the churn-and-burn method of content creation attracted the same number of customers; You’ve got Company A, hypothetically, that’s just spitting AI content out as fast as it possibly can. Then you’ve got Company B, who’s doing it the “hard way,” but the more respectful way, the more inspiring, and sustainable way. If both companies ended up with the same number of customers, which one would you rather work for? The soulless entity that’s all about the bottom line, or the company that stands for something? I know my answer."

Q: We all know AI is based on stolen human work. How do you think brands hurt themselves by using generated AI media in place of human-made media that was created for their brands?
​
A: Well, have you ever made a photocopy of a photocopy of another photocopy? What happens? The image degrades. The same thing will happen here. If we just continually recycle the same work over and over and over without creating anything new, without going out into the field and exploring, getting a bunch of people into a room to come up with creative concepts, and then figuring out ways to create and execute these projects, we’re going to lose something.

I mean, that’s why we’re here as humans—to create and to admire natural beauty. What are we when you take that away from us?

"And don’t get me wrong, I use AI. It’s a very helpful tool to be leveraged in the right capacity. I’m using it right now to dictate my answers for this interview. I’ll utilize it to streamline my workflow. I do not, however, use it to replace the work itself."

I always say this: If you look at a painting on a wall, and you’re looking at the brushstrokes, the composition, the tones, and you start thinking about how it makes you feel, how talented this artist must be, you might even start thinking about how long it took them to build up the skill set to create this masterpiece. How long it took them to hone their craft, to put out into the world for people to admire and to feel something themselves.

And then you learn that it was made by AI. How does your mood shift? Do you appreciate it the same way? Do you feel the same way about that picture?

Now it’s just a pretty picture. It lost all meaning. What’s art without meaning?

Q: Do brands really have to go out and spend tens of thousands of dollars for a photo shoot, or can they hire someone affordably?

A: A good, high-end production is not cheap. There’s no way around that. I would say about 70 to 80% of the cost of a shoot goes toward models, assistants, food, lodging, and putting gas in the car to get people there. That’s not getting any cheaper for any of us.

Then you have a photographer, filmmaker, or videographer who’s going to show up with decades’ worth of experience and $50,000 to $60,000 worth of gear. You’re also paying for a master craftsman to show up and maximize your budget, as opposed to spray and pray and hope something great comes out of it.

What that photographer can accomplish in an eight- or twelve-hour day compared to an inexperienced photographer is night and day. They’re going to know exactly how to align that imagery with your brand. That’s what you’re paying for.

But because everyone has the ability to take a photo with their phone, everybody feels like it should be cheap or practically free. It’s not the case.

That said, there are ways to bring down the price of a shoot. Have well-defined brand guidelines and clear expectations for what you want to get out of the shoot. Maybe go out in the field with the photographer to lend a hand. Shoot locally and hire local talent. These things can sometimes save thousands of dollars.​

Photography is not something you should cheap out on. If someone goes to your website and sees subpar images, that’s an immediate representation of the product you’re selling. You’re not going to fill your website with user-generated content shot on an iPhone. You need a professional, just like you probably hired a professional to design your website.

And no, it doesn’t have to cost tens of thousands of dollars per shoot. Smart photographers know how to maximize your budget, but it’s important to have realistic expectations. 

​And whatever you do, please don’t be the brand that says, “We’ll get you a photo credit.” Do you ever call a plumber to work on your house and ask them if you can pay them in exposure? No, of course you wouldn’t. Plumbers do a really good job of telling you how much it’s going to be for their labor, and that’s what they charge you for.
​
If you’re hiring someone who practices a trade, expect to pay a fair market rate.

Q: What should brands be looking for when they hire a photographer? What kinds of questions should they ask to vet the photographer?

A: First, take a look at their portfolio to ensure that their specialty aligns with what you do. I always advise that you hire a specialist who understands your specific industry and the type of work you’re looking to create.

Then get on a call with them. The conversation should just be natural. You want to make sure you have a good exchange with them because you’re going to be working with these people on a creative level. You also want a photographer who’s going to ask questions about your brand, because they’re vetting you just as much as you’re vetting them.

If they’re simply agreeable to everything, that’s nice, but you’re hiring an expert. You want someone who is willing to question a decision and say, “Hey, what do you think if we change our tack and execute this task like this?” That shows that the photographer has experience and is willing to call something out that might not be the best fit for the project.

Obviously, you want to talk about rates and responsibilities. Who’s handling pre-production and post-production? Do they handle casting? Are they going to help with creative direction or styling? How do they handle image licensing? How many rounds of feedback do you get in the edit? These are all questions that clients might not think to ask, but a good photographer is probably going to walk you through a lot of this right out of the gate.

And most importantly, have clarity around the budget. Having been on the hiring side in-house for many years, I always came to the table knowing what my number was. That way, we knew we were all on the same page. A good photographer is going to know how to maximize that budget, and if you have experience hiring for productions, you should have a pretty good idea of what the shoot should cost.
​
You need a photographer who’s going to help you stay on course and make sure the scope, expectations, and budget all line up.

Q: What’s a photo shoot you did that went differently than you could have imagined, and still got amazing results?

A: Most shoots have their logistical challenges for one reason or another. Most of the time with what we do, it’s weather-related. That’s the ballpark we play in. But it’s important to always have a backup plan, and probably another backup plan for that backup plan.

If you’re experienced enough in the field, you’re also really good at making quick decisions on the fly that still allow everyone to maximize their day.

I do remember a shoot we did years ago for Osprey in Thailand where every single one of us got food poisoning. We went down hard for multiple days. The whole team was out.

We had to change our plans, figure out new times to catch a boat to leave the island, extend our hotel stays, and make sure everyone was hydrated. We had to cut certain things out of the shoot and figure out what we could trim while still maintaining the direction for the project, without pushing people too hard after coming off multiple days of pretty gnarly food poisoning.
Sometimes that just happens. But we still got some pretty awesome travel imagery and video content. We walked away with a pretty amazing project—and a story to tell.

Q: What kind of photo legacy do you hope to give to the world?

A: I’m drawn to sharing a little piece of the world that you might not otherwise see. A boat driver in Vietnam, a bird biologist in the middle of Idaho, or a master chef on a tiny island in Chile—people out there doing really cool things, often in places and circumstances most of us will never experience.

Having the opportunity to spend a little time in their world and shine a light on their stories through character-driven travel photography is incredibly rewarding. My hope is that those stories inspire people to travel, to see more of the world, and ultimately to recognize how much more similar we are than we are different.

"If I can give someone a glimpse into a life they might never otherwise encounter, and leave them feeling a little more connected to the world around them, that’s the kind of legacy I’d like to leave."

---

Next Article in the Series:
Renegade Human Creatives

Fruitcakes and The Secrets of Creating a Powerful Visual Brand Interview with an Elusive Human Graphics Designer, Amanda Foster-Best, of Fox & Bee Graphics. Click here.

---

About The Authors:

Dan Holz is the co-founder and creative producer at Fieldborn Creative, with more than 20 years of experience producing commercial photography, brand films, and documentary storytelling. Before co-founding Fieldborn, he spent nearly eight years leading global photo and video production at Osprey Packs, giving him firsthand insight into what marketing teams need from a production partner.
​
As a member of Protect Our Winters' Creative Alliance, Dan is committed to creating work that reflects a deep respect for people, place, and the natural world.
He lives in Leavenworth, Washington, with his wife and two daughters, where the North Cascades continue to shape both his work and the way he approaches life. www.fieldborncreative.com

Jennifer L. Jacobson - Founder, Jacobson Communication
Jennifer L. Jacobson (AKA The Feral PR Consultant) is an author and marketing executive with 25 years experience advocating for emerging brands and creatives. Through cunning strategy, creative storytelling, and feral curiosity, she helps nonprofits, tech startups, niche consumer brands, theme parks, musicians, and artists get the attention they need to get to the next level. ​ To learn more, visit: https://jacobsoncommunication.com

---

Note: This article is 100% human-created. To learn how to "poison" the generative AI well and stop the theft of human-made work, click here and always remember to use potatoes! Stay feral! ​Together, we can have nice things and a better future. :)