What if the Only Way to Combat AI Is Finding Your Unique Photographic Style?

Let’s face it—AI is here to stay. Whether we like it or not, it’s not going anywhere. When it first emerged a few years back, I have to admit that I didn’t pay much attention to it. It felt like just another tech buzzword because of how immature it seemed. But fast forward to now: it’s evolving faster than most of us can keep up with, and it’s beginning to change the creative industry in a very real way.

As a commercial photographer specializing in hospitality and industrial work, I have started to feel the squeeze as our pie gets smaller. First, it was the rise of brands preferring influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC). Now, it’s AI.

I used to believe that as long as I served my clients well—delivered consistently high-quality work, stayed professional, and made the best out of every project—I should be fine. Surely, good work would speak for itself and be appreciated, right? Turns out, I was wrong. While the growth of my solopreneurship has been good, the first quarter of this year has been my worst-performing period since going full time back in 2019. And sadly, from what I see, the trajectory suggests it is only going to get tougher.

Running a photography-only business these days means we are constantly juggling multiple roles—from educating clients about the value of real photography and handling our own marketing to trying to keep up with shifting trends. It’s exhausting, and at times, it feels like we’re all just trying to keep our heads above water. So, what if the only real way forward is to dig deep and discover our unique photographic voice? Specifically, how do we interpret the world through our lens? Specifically, finding your unique photographic style through interpreting the way you see the world.

Personally, I feel genuine ideas and personal interpretations matter now more than ever. Especially in a sea of content generated by machines or heavily optimized for clicks, the only thing that might set us apart is our vision—how we uniquely see the world. At least that is something AI cannot replicate for now. AI may analyze patterns and churn out endless visuals, but it lacks intuition, emotion, and lived experience.

That being said, your ability to find your style and succeed with it often depends on where you're based and the type of clients you have access to. Therefore, having a distinctive style still doesn’t guarantee your success. From where I am based, most clients don’t really care about image quality as long as the content gets them results. They want trendy looks, fast turnarounds, and cheap. In that environment, both my personal and commercial work feel like the opposite of what the market demands.

But despite the differences between my personal and commercial photography, they share a common foundation: storytelling, relatability, and intentional composition with good lighting. That’s the glue that holds my work together. For my commercial work, I focus on clean, elegant visuals that reflect a brand’s identity with clarity and sophistication. My personal work, on the other hand, leans more toward visual storytelling and creative documentation—capturing life as it unfolds, raw and unscripted.

I won’t sugarcoat it—it’s tough staying true to your vision and holding onto it in this industry. It’s tempting to take shortcuts and follow trends, especially when it feels like everyone else who is doing it is successful. But I’ve learned that it’s far more fulfilling to create work that reflects what I believe in. It’s even more satisfying when clients seek you out because they resonate with that exact perspective. They know what they want, and they know you're the right person to do it.

The tricky part, though, is getting your work in front of the right people. With so many creators these days flooding social media and pouring money into ads in the online space, visibility has become a competition of volume and noise. The loudest ones usually win. But instead of trying to be louder, I’ve found that doubling down on authenticity is a more sustainable path. In fact, it might be the only way to stand out genuinely—though it can be very slow at times.

And this is why finding your personal style is more than just an artistic exercise—it’s a survival strategy. AI might be able to replicate lighting, composition, or even editing styles, but it can't mimic the way you experience the world. Your perspective and thought process are your strongest assets.

But here’s the thing: many photographers struggle with the idea of having a “style,” as the word itself can feel abstract or intimidating, especially if you come from a technical background. Some think it has to be a conscious choice or a grand artistic statement, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, your style is simply a reflection of what you're drawn to and how you naturally work.

How to Discover Your Personal Style

Here’s a practical approach to discovering your style—without overthinking it:

1. Identify Your Genre or Niche: Start by asking yourself: What kind of subjects do you enjoy photographing? Architecture? Food? Street moments? Your niche often stems from what catches your attention in everyday life.

2. Observe What Your Work Looks Like: Think about your recurring aesthetic choices. Are your photos moody, vibrant, minimal, or dramatic? These visual preferences usually point toward your developing style.

3. Draw from Your Background: Your life experiences shape how you see things. For example, someone with a background in design might gravitate toward clean lines and symmetry. I find myself drawn to structure and storytelling—likely a result of my work across industrial and documentary genres.

4. Don’t Force Meaning Into Every Shot: It’s easy to fall into the trap of post-justifying your images, trying to explain every photo like it’s part of a bigger artistic narrative. But real style isn’t always something you can articulate—it’s something you feel when you look at your body of work.

5. Be Sensitive and Shoot What You Like: If you enjoy creating it and others resonate with it, that’s already a form of personal expression. Keep exploring what you are good at and go down that path.

6. Learn, but Don’t Copy: Explore photo books, follow other photographers, study the masters—but don’t feel pressured to imitate them. Inspiration is great, but your voice should remain your own.

7. Let Time Do the Work: Sometimes your style only becomes clear in hindsight. Shoot often, review your work, and patterns will eventually emerge.

Also, it’s worth noting that you don’t need to have a neatly defined style to be a good or successful photographer. That concept is often overemphasized in artistic circles. What matters more is creating meaningful images—whatever that looks like for you.

For those who are working as a photographer, returning clients—not likes or followers—are a much better indicator of whether your work is resonating. In fact, obsessing too much over crafting a specific style can actually become counterproductive. It creates pressure to look a certain way rather than to explore freely and truly create something that you are really good at.

And let’s not forget—success on platforms like Instagram or in photo contests doesn’t always reflect your growth as an artist. It often just shows that you’re good at playing the algorithm or conforming to what's trending.

So in a world where machines are learning to create faster and cheaper than ever, maybe the one thing they still can’t do is see the world like you. Your style—your way of interpreting the world—is what makes your work irreplaceable. What’s stopping you from leaning into that?