The year in review as one of Australia’s leading photographers…
Sorry in advance for the thought dump, I wanted to update on my year share my thoughts and give in-site to what I have been doing and how I am navigating my craft.
I think this blog will be very specific to the elephant in the room and biggest disruptor of the year, Ai! Speaking to many colleges some have embraced, and some are terrified of the rise of Ai technologies. The ones that have embraced it are using it as a tool in workflow helping their creative process and helping offer more to clients while the terrified side feel like we are in a real life terminator movie for the creative industry with some people packing up and putting the camera down. There is obvious big changes ahead however there is something’s that will never change and one of those things is that creativity isn’t generated it’s written, drawn, painted. sung, captured, crafted, touched and even prompted, yes a creative human element is still needed to create prompts so are Ai text to video and image generating pieces of technologies just a tool like a camera or drawing software? Morally I think the real issue is where the Ai generated content is being sampled from.
How I see Ai effecting the photography industry and to the point has already massively disrupting process driven content with little creativity needed like a stock library or batch ecommerce shoot, churn and burn, in my career e-commerse work was a reasonable volume of work but is now something that is quickly becoming redundant. Do I still shoot e-commerce projects yes from time to time these are still relevant but a smaller part of my business now shrinking year to year
Do I see myself using Ai in the future to create my ideas, visions and stories… yes
And I use it now to some capacity as a tool but Ai will be just that, the tool not the brain behind the idea… Well until quantum computing becomes main stream and at that point I think most industries will be in trouble.
Over the past few years I have unknowingly taken the steps to (short term) future proof my commercial photography, Around 5 years ago I started using my photography to create fine art more as a creative outlet, to tell more stories and creatively push my craft, I was lucky enough to receive a lot of recognition, exhibiting work and making a few sales along the way. This raw creative approach helped develop my concepting and creative view which I have been able to transfer to my commercial projects. Looking back on the year I realise I have been booked on more jobs than ever before requiring my in-sites and ideas starting on projects at the creative direction stage, in the past I just called this step the concept process or testing towards a project however having taken a breath as the year wraps I realised that through the year that’s what I was specifically getting booked for with many new clients asking directly for my ideas first in the pitch stage and what can I do for their brand. I am so lucky to have the years of technical experience to be able to bring these ideas into life.
During 2025 I received a lot of recognition ranking in the top 10 Globally for Still life photography and Fine Art photography receiving 2 golden X’s and also 2nd overall in Australia receiving a golden camera, I won the food and beverage category in the spotlight awards in 2024 opening up big opportunities including a feature in The Australian and Australian Photography running a 12 page spread on my work. I placed second in the Food category in the 2025 Chromatic awards, receiving an honourable mention in the IPA awards, gold category winner in the Tokyo Foto Awards and being named a finalist in the World Food Awards. This recognition has provided amazing responses with projects being commissioned locally and abroad including companies in the US. I think as a freelance creative you can regularly doubt your ability but receiving some of these industry awards does show where you are with your craft, My 17 year old self when I first started in the industry would never have thought I would achieve what I have.
I have had some strange request over the year mostly around Ai including trying to navigate the legal side of Ai (I can do lots of things but no I am not a lawyer) An offer to purchase my images to feed into an Ai generator for learning purposes, that was a hard no! being replaced by Ai only to be brought back onto a project based on what I create being far superior. But the one constant is it’s my creative ideas I am getting commissioned for, rather flattering but something worth noting as a freelancer in an industry where a lot of people are walking away from.
If you’re still reading thanks, it’s more of a thought dump of where I am going and what I am doing as a creative in an ever changing environment. In truth I really don’t know if Ai is here to overthrow creative industries or be a companion and tool we can all use. I recently read that 90% of content in 2026 will be Ai generated. This might be a little high but it will definitely be a large chunk which makes quality unique stand out and hold even more importance.
When I started out as a photographer most of my projects like many photographers were super simple very clinical style, technically driven and to be honest helped train me and many technically as a photographer. I do wonder with this type of work going to be redundant where will aspiring photographers start and learn, I am already noticing very few assistants working to learn in an apprentice style so will the ones who are coming through now be the last of our kind.
As photographers we are a jack of all trades, hold many skills and need lots of cards in our hand. On some of my projects this year I have worn the hats of ten people on traditional sets. Gaffa, DOP, photographer, assistant, creative director, art director. Stylist, food stylist, video editor, re-toucher, producer and the list goes on, I do think all this diversity offers such an amazing experience and it pushed you technically, physically and creatively all I can say is embrace the changing times. Maybe in the future the title won’t be photographer, art director or content creator but just a blanket “creative”
Technology will always change creative direction, this could be format needs/type and even creative direction. This year we have seen the emergency of computer generated content change preferred content and style. raw, real unpolished, achievable. People want it to look real nothing over polished, over considered or perfect. This can mean a few stray hi lights, direct flash, real environments and slightly under polished… even though this style can take a lot of polishing to execute. What will 2026 bring? I think more if this direction and the question will be how far will this be pushed, I am still refusing to shoot content on a phone but you never know, I mean I do shoot some of my own content on my phone so….
To all my creatives make sure in 2026 you find your creative voice and keep creating, to all my clients and future clients quality, authenticity and creativity will always trump, one only needs to look back to the public’s opinion to a stock library image being used, the brand is small and unloved to use a generic ordinary image, not able to use something unique and brand specific.
Written by me not Chat lol.
All the best for 2026
Ben