From Lens to Logic: A Conversation with Ian West on the Future of Photography in the Age of AI
An interview between Daniel, Founder of ModeLabs.ai, and commercial photographer Ian West
The creative industry is undergoing one of the most significant shifts in its history. Traditional processes that once took weeks, large crews, and five-figure budgets can now be achieved in a fraction of the time with a fraction of the cost. To explore what this transformation really means on the ground, Daniel, Founder of ModeLabs.ai, sat down with Ian West—a photographer with over 30 years of experience working with some of the world’s leading brands—to discuss his transition from traditional photography to AI-driven content creation.
Daniel: Ian, you’ve spent three decades at the top of your profession. What originally drew you to photography?
Ian West:
Photography has always been about storytelling for me. When I started, it was all film—no instant previews, no safety nets. You had to understand light, composition, timing, and emotion at a very deep level. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with major global brands, large production teams, and incredible creatives. It’s been an amazing journey, but the industry today looks nothing like it did when I began.
Daniel: You’ve recently transitioned into AI content creation. That’s a big shift. What prompted it?
Ian West:
Honestly, the industry itself forced the change. Brands are under massive pressure to produce more creative, more frequently, for less money. Traditional production models are becoming harder to justify.
Earlier this year, I managed a campaign shoot for a client that involved three models, a physical location, makeup artists, hair stylists, lighting crew, travel, accommodation, videographers, weeks of planning, product samples—the full works. The budget came in at around £25,000. That’s before you even talk about the environmental cost of travel, shipping, and waste.
Now? Every single one of those elements can be replaced or enhanced using AI. No models, no travel, no studio hire, no logistics nightmares. The speed, efficiency, and control are on a completely different level.
Daniel: Many creatives fear AI will replace them. What’s your perspective as someone who has embraced it?
Ian West:
It is a scary time for creatives—there’s no denying that. There’s a lot of uncertainty. But I genuinely believe that AI doesn’t replace creativity; it amplifies it.
What’s changed is not the need for creative vision, but the tools we use. My skill set as a creative hasn’t become irrelevant—it’s been repurposed and enhanced. I’m now directing concepts, shaping lighting digitally, refining compositions, crafting visual narratives with far more control than I ever had on a physical set.
The photographer’s eye still matters. Taste still matters. Experience still matters. AI just removes the friction.
Daniel: How does AI change the way brands produce content today?
Ian West:
Brands are transitioning because they have to. Speed to market is everything. Campaigns turn around in days instead of months. Budgets are being scrutinised at every level. With AI:
Creative is produced faster
Costs are dramatically reduced
Visuals are fully controllable
Revisions are instant
The carbon footprint is massively smaller
Why wouldn’t brands lean into this?
We’re not just talking about cost savings—we’re talking about creative freedom. Want to test five different locations, moods, lighting setups, or model looks? In traditional photography, that’s five times the budget. With AI, it’s just part of the process.
Daniel: What excited you most once you fully started working with AI?
Ian West:
The speed and precision. The ability to create exactly what’s in your head without being limited by weather, logistics, or physical constraints. It’s creatively liberating.
Also, the environmental impact is impossible to ignore. Removing travel, shipping, set builds, and physical waste is a massive step forward. Sustainability used to be an afterthought. Now it can be built directly into the creative process.
Daniel: For someone with your background, do you feel this is the future of content creation?
Ian West:
Without question. We’re witnessing the beginning of a fundamental shift in how visual content is made. The combination of human creativity and experience, paired with the power of AI, is transforming the industry at every level—fashion, advertising, e-commerce, branding.
This isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about evolution. The tools have changed, but the goal is the same: to create compelling, beautiful, effective imagery that connects with people.
Daniel: Final thoughts—what would you say to creatives who are hesitant about AI?
Ian West:
I understand the fear. I really do. But resisting this change won’t stop it. The creatives who thrive will be the ones who adapt, learn, and lead with these new tools.
AI is not the enemy. It’s the next chapter. And if you combine decades of human experience with this level of technology, the possibilities are extraordinary.
