Authentic stories require authentic visuals
Verna Vuoripuro wrote aptly in her column (HS May 4, 2026) about how storytellers have become the most sought-after experts in the tech world. In a world drowning in soulless word salad churned out by AI—known as workslop—a clear and human message has become a company’s most valuable currency. Silicon Valley giants are now paying fortunes to people who can filter out the "noise" and find authentic meaning.
But communication isn't just words. It’s baffling how many companies now invest in a clear narrative while leaving their visual identity completely neglected. The result is visual "fluff": generic stock photo aesthetics or AI-generated glossy images that erode credibility before the first sentence is even read.
This phenomenon has reached a point where the irony cut deeps into the soul. As a storyteller, photographer, and entrepreneur, it feels rather strange to pay taxes into the common pot, only to find that the Vero.fi (Finnish Tax Administration) homepage hero image is AI-generated slop. When an authority whose communication should be based on absolute fact and trust replaces real human presence with an algorithmically calculated average, we are on a dangerous path. For the common good, I’d be happy to give the Tax Administration a real landscape photo for free.
The AI-generated illustration on the Vero.fi homepage is a cautionary example of the visual fluff that erodes credibility before a single sentence is read.
Visual fluff eats the brand's soul
Visual fluff is the antithesis of storytelling. It is that over-processed, clinical, and impersonal imagery that looks like it was created in a laboratory. It might be technically flawless, but it is emotionally dead.
If a company’s story speaks of passion, innovation, or human connection, but the imagery consists of the same plastic smiles seen on every competitor's site, a visual contradiction is born. The reader senses the inauthenticity immediately. If the story is true, why does it look like a lie?
Images must dare to be raw
This brings us back to the "fluff filters" Verna Vuoripuro mentioned. Today, a photographer's job is to act as a visual fluff filter. We must dare to abandon clinical perfection and return to what feels real.
I use 1960s optics in my work for this very reason. It brings an organic texture, warmth, and humanity to the images that no algorithm can convincingly simulate. It strips away the digital fluff and leaves behind something that feels like a memory or a genuine encounter. It is the visual equivalent of the sharp, clear thinking that companies crave right now.
A Strategic Choice: Authenticity wins over fluff
When everyone else looks like the same mass seasoned with an "AI accent," standing out is easier than ever. It simply requires the courage to look human.
Unique and authentic photo or video content is no longer a "nice-to-have" add-on; it is a critical part of the story that customers are willing to pay extra for. The next success story will be born from daring to look real.
So, let’s stop producing fluff and start creating meaning. It’s the only way to make it through the workslop with your head held high.
Ultimately, it’s a small price to pay to ensure your company looks human, credible, and—above all—like itself again.