Caspar Jade: Blending Art, Technology, and Storytelling
Caspar Jade’s creative path began with dreams of becoming a musician or a director, but fate had other plans. Photography became his focus for many years, offering a way to channel his creative energy. With advancements in technology making it easier to produce films and music, Caspar discovered a passion for blending his talents, leading to projects like his film concept "About Artists."
Based in Berlin, he has built a career as a portrait photographer, crafting cinematic visuals that place people at the heart of his work. His exploration of AI technology has further expanded his creative horizons, allowing him to merge human decision-making with computer-generated imagery. Caspar reveals his experiences and insights as a professional in an exclusive interview for L'Officiel Monaco.
What do you think will be the most significant advancements in artificial intelligence over the next five years?
It's hard to say in general terms, but it's pretty certain that we will increasingly have AI in our lives – whether professionally or privately.
It's also safe to say that there will be a radical transformation in the creative industries. Especially for photographers and filmmakers in the fields of advertising, fashion and beauty, a lot will change. Elaborate and costly processes will be replaced by AI. It will become as normal as using Photoshop.
In individual portrait photography, not so much will change. I think there will even be a countermovement, the real and authentic will get a special value again.
What resources (books, online courses, communities, etc.) would you recommend for someone just starting their career in AI?
I would recommend defining clear goals first. What exactly do I want to achieve and what AI tools are available to help me get there? If you are highly motivated, you can find all the inspiration and information you need on the internet. I myself have tried out all kinds of AI tools and, as in photography, I have found that it is not the technology that is crucial, but rather the aesthetic ideas and the ability to evaluate the results generated by AI. That may sound obvious, but everything stands and falls with the decisions you make. No AI can do that for you.
If you weren’t pursuing a career in AI technology, what path do you think you would have taken, and why?
For me, AI technology is just another way of expressing myself creatively. I still love real photography, filming and making music. Interacting with people is also important to me. So I would have just kept doing that.
What has been the most remarkable or memorable project in your career so far, and what made it stand out to you?
In terms of AI technology, it is my own project: The Unreal People. Every day, theunrealpeople.com presents a new portrait of a fictional person that looks frighteningly real. Behind each portrait is a short, personal story that has been completed with the help of artificial intelligence.
Even though the project has something grotesque and provocative about it, I immerse myself in other realities and learn a lot about our world and different cultures. At least in theory. It teaches empathy and makes me realize again and again how incredibly privileged we are in the Western world.
Looking ahead to 2025, what is your most desirable goal or aspiration, and how do you plan to achieve it?
Professionally, I would like to further develop my career as an AI artist. It would be desirable for established agencies, productions, and magazines in the fashion, beauty, and advertising sectors to show more and more interest in realizing projects with generative AI. And as always, openness and good communication are the prerequisites for this.
You mentioned that music was your first love and that you’ve been producing music in various genres. How does your experience in music influence your visual storytelling in photography and AI-generated art?
Everything influences everything else. Similar to working with AI, different media are different ways for me to express my aesthetic visions. But in the end, everything is basically one and interconnected.
Your work often focuses on cinematic images with a high narrative power. Could you share how your film concept “About Artists” integrates your love for music, photography, and storytelling into a cohesive vision?
Actually, it has a lot to do with curiosity. I'm interested in people in general and find it exciting to get insights from other artists. Since it comes naturally to me to express my feelings through music, film and photography, I thought I would develop a concept out of it. This project is another example of how irreplaceably fascinating we humans are. My interest in AI in no way excludes my interest in the real and the true.
WEB: www.casparjade.com
