Last year, a client came to me with a straightforward brief: they needed a full lookbook for their new clothing line. But there was a catch. “We don’t want a shoot,” they said. “Just take our phone photos and make them look professional with AI.” I could have said no. Instead, I said yes — and it changed how I think about my entire career.

I’ve been shooting commercial and fashion work for six years, running a multidisciplinary creative studio between Shanghai and New York. My clients include global brands across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Two years ago, long before AI image tools became a topic of industry panic, I started quietly integrating them into my production workflow. My background in 3D and CGI made the transition feel natural — I’d always thought in terms of layers, environments, and constructed realities.…