Creating photo realistic AI Images

For fun and flattery

The Experiment
I had this (somewhat lame, potentially awesome) idea for a presentation: a video of me hanging out with Elon Musk. Step 1? Creating still images of myself that I could use as a base.

My goal was simple (but surprisingly challenging): find a tool that could create high-quality, AI-generated images that looked like me in different styles and poses. Ideally, these images would look like I’d done a professional photo shoot—without actually having to book one.

Over a couple of months of iteration this turned out to be harder than I thought.

The Process and the Struggle
I started with MidJourney, a tool I’d seen hyped everywhere. I uploaded reference images of myself and experimented with prompts. At first, I was hopeful. Then… not so much.

• They kind of looked like me—if you squinted.
• The resemblance wasn’t strong enough to be instantly recognizable.
• And the hands were definitely weird

Frustrated, I left Midjourney by the wayside. I remembered seeing some great AI-generated portraits on Pieter Levels’ Twitter (his demos were really good). He created PhotoAI, so I decided to give it a shot.

The PhotoAI Breakthrough
PhotoAI turned out to be a completely different experience. The pre-set photo packs—like Tinder, Glamour, and Work—were an interesting way of churning out a lot of shots. I uploaded a collection of photos of myself, making sure to include shots from all sides, good lighting, and plenty of angles. (Pro tip: err on the side of more pics rather than less.)

The resemblance was great.

• The dropdowns and checkboxes in PhotoAI made the process easy to navigate—no complex prompts required.
• The styles looked professional and, more importantly, like me.
• PhotoAI even generated a few options with hair, which was a nice change since I’ve been bald for 20 years (even bald men need a little flattery)

It wasn’t perfect, but it was close.

Reflections on MidJourney and PhotoAI
Looking back, I can see how these tools are built for different types of users:

• MidJourney is for the tinkerers and nerds—the people who love experimenting with prompts, iterating endlessly, and getting creative with styles.
• PhotoAI feels more plug-and-play. If you want fast, accurate results, it’s hard to beat.

The Outcome
By the end of the experiment, I had:

• A collection of AI-generated images that were eerily accurate (and at times flattering 😀)
• New profile pics and marketing assets I could use for presentations and beyond
• A fun, new way to experiment with AI

Pro Tips for Beginners:

1. Prep Your Photos Carefully: Upload a variety of high-quality shots from different angles with good lighting. The more diverse your photos, the better the results.
2. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate: If you’re using MidJourney, don’t settle for the first attempt. Experiment with different prompts and styles to refine your results.
3. Go Beyond LinkedIn: These tools aren’t just for headshots. Use them to create marketing assets, profile pics, or just to have fun!

Want to Try It Yourself?

• PhotoAI: Best for no-fuss, high-res images that look like you
• MidJourney/Flux: Perfect for creative experimentation and pushing artistic boundaries
• DALL-E: Worth a look, but less suited for high-quality portraits

Join me as I do 52 AI experiments in 2025. From teaching me to DJ to analysing interviews I’m documenting all I learn.