Humans vs. Technology
Humans vs. Technology
March 23, 2023
Technology as we currently think of it is mostly machines. Metal, wires, glass, plastic, rubber, maybe wood. I primarily make photographs of people, so why do so many biotech companies reach out to me to create their imagery? Because people can’t relate to machines, don’t care about machines, and certainly don’t buy things made by machines alone. People relate to images of people and people make branding sing, especially when there’s emotion in the shot.
I recently had the opportunity to work with the San Francisco-based biotechnology firm ArsenalBio. Over the course of two days, we explored the campus, capturing the technology, office, atmosphere and, most importantly, the scientists. Creating compelling imagery of anything requires an emotional element – whether through lighting to create a mood, staging to create an atmosphere, or people to create empathy. I tend go for the third option, because people are fun to work with. And when it comes to working with non-professional talent, given good direction they often respond with something unexpected and poignant, just by being themselves.