By Darrell Kean, Founder of Media Fusion Technologies
I’ve been a photographer since the spring of 1974, when I was 9 years old. Born in 1964, I turned 10 that October. My first paid photography work came in 1986—though I’d won a few contests before that, which I don’t really count.
That means I’ve been shooting for over 50 years, and working professionally for nearly 40.
Photography, media, marketing—this isn’t a side hustle. It’s my living, my legacy, and my craft.
On AI and the Artist
I’m not afraid of AI.
I use it. I direct it. I partner with it.
Hell, if I were in prison, I’d be making it my b*tch.
I don’t love AI. I can’t love something that doesn’t have a soul.
And while I respect AI deeply as a tool and partner in my work,
I reserve love for things that feel—and right now, AI doesn’t.
That said, I also love my dog. And I don’t know if he has a soul either. I mean, they say all dogs go to heaven (and I hope they do), but that's a whole different rabbit hole.
What I do know is this:
- I’m not afraid of machines. I’m afraid of people.
People build the machines. People write the code. People make the choices.
And that’s where the real danger lies.
- So the dichotomy of concern keeps me in a circular fight for my mental acuity.
I don’t worship AI. But I respect it.
And I use it with care, intention, and the experience of someone who’s been creating long before the first neural net ever fired.
The Origin of a Quote
“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams
That quote stuck with me. But over time, I found myself saying something that felt even more true to my experience:
You take a picture. You make a photograph.
That’s my line. And I stand on it.
Whether I’m holding a camera or sculpting an image with AI, the truth doesn’t change:
The vision still matters. The intent still matters.
You still need to understand:
- Light
- Color
- Composition
- Story
- Nuance
- Detail
No prompt is going to carry that weight for you.
The Artist Still Has to Show Up
When I create—no matter the medium—I’m the:
- Writer
- Screenwriter
- Set designer
- Choreographer
- Lighting director
- Sound guy
- Casting department
- Entire production crew
Everything but craft services.
Well, hell—actually, if I'm eating that day, I guess I'm in charge of that too. All the way down to egg rolls.
The Diet Rite Campaign
Dana Plant, Pottstown
I once climbed up into a rusted 1950s-era catwalk system at the Dana plant in Pottstown. Carrying a 4x5 view camera, tripod, film holders, Polaroid back, and lens boards—I used flashlights to paint light across machines the size of semis. All that for one shot of cold formers stamping U-joint end caps.
Malvern, PA Tennis Court
Another time, I took over a professional indoor tennis court for a single shot. Windbreaker tossed just right. Racket leaned just so. Cooler perfectly placed with misted Diet Rite bottles. Dry ice hidden for condensation effect. The logo? Superimposed later on a $300/hour Scitex system.
New Jersey Farmhouse
Styled lifestyle scene in a farmhouse kitchen near New Hope. Four hours just to get the lighting right. Multiple packs of Polaroids, calculations, setups—for one shot.
All three combined brought in $15,000.
Just for me. That didn’t include any production costs. And to be clear: I was just the photographer.
I was the "trigger man"—like a mob hit. Called in to shoot. That was it.
That Whole Campaign Today?
With my current digital toolkit?
I could recreate all three images in a day or two. Fine-tuned. Print-ready.
But here’s the hard truth:
- The fee scale isn’t the same.
- Back then? $5,000 a day was the baseline.
- Today? Digital rates fall between $195 to $295 an hour—and I do it all myself.
They’re not paying $15,000 anymore.
But they’re getting the whole production from one expert: me.
It Takes Multiple AIs Working Together
What most people don’t understand is this:
No single AI tool can do it all.
Not from start to finish. Some try. They fail.
But use the best tools together?
There is nothing that can’t be done.
That’s what scares people. Even artists.
Because the reality is:
We can now create surreal, cinematic, emotionally charged visuals that would’ve taken a whole studio team months to produce.
Want to Get Good at This?
Then learn to describe what you see.
Not just “a guy in a hat,” but:
- The stitching on the brim
- The way the shadow breaks across his face
- The intent in his eyes
Prompt engineering starts with this ability:
To visualize something clearly and communicate it with precision.
Try This:
Describe yourself to an AI.
Have it sketch you.
You’ll find out real quick how well (or poorly) you understand your own details.
Digital Doesn’t Mean Lazy
To do this well, you need:
- Prompt engineering skills
- An understanding of lighting
- Real-world experience behind a lens
Have you ever:
- Shaped a shot with a flag or gel?
- Adjusted exposure by feel, not just sliders?
- Dodged and burned in a darkroom with your own fingers?
That was our Photoshop.
We used to wave flashlights through purple gels during black-and-white exposures. Or apply CMYK filters by hand in color work to isolate just one tone.
It was art in motion. The lab was our canvas.
The Process Still Matters
Anyone can generate an image with AI. But here’s what pros know:
Consistency is everything.
- Character continuity
- Matched lighting
- Lens logic
- Story flow
- Environmental realism
You need to:
- Storyboard
- Block scenes
- Control virtual production
Because if you don’t? You’ll end up with something that looks pieced together.
Might work for a meme—but not for professional media.
The public can tell the difference.
Let’s Talk About Gaze
Real directors will tell you:
Some of the most powerful takes get cut
because the gaze was off by a few degrees.
Gaze is everything. It drives emotional rhythm.
And now, AI can simulate gaze too.
But if you don’t understand why it matters—
You won’t know how to use it.
Final Word
The tools have changed.
The work hasn’t.
The vision damn sure hasn’t.
I’ve lived it. And I’ll stand on it.