Andy Glass Shoots all In Camera for American Express
Andy Glass is a Photographer and Director who has adapted to the changing technological landscape and embraced new roles like CGI and AI Director. Though fluent in hybrid workflows, there are still projects that Andy captures everything in-camera and works in a post-production studio to composite it all together.
His project with American Express called for Andy to deliver fully composited images, void of CGI and AI. Andy’s dedication to the craft of photography ensures that the images come together seamlessly. By shooting all elements under the same light conditions and carefully calculating perspective and scale, Andy guaranteed that each object feels believable. The highly detailed and large format images designed for airpots, billboards and print placements invite the viewer into an I-Spy-like environment, discovering something new each time they look.
What was the core idea behind the Amex Gold campaign?
The concept was simple and visual. With the Gold Card, you can “reach out and grab” your rewards. So we literally visualized that idea. Handbags and sunglasses appear in trees. A plane can be hailed like a taxi. Every day city life becomes a reward landscape.
It was a campaign built around one clear idea, which I always enjoy. You have one frame to tell the story.
You are known for CGI and AI workflows. This project used neither. Why?
It was a classic, large-scale retouch job. Everything was photographed. No stock. No CGI builds. Even the airplane was shot at an airfield.
Because I understand CGI and compositing deeply, I know what makes something believable. So when we choose to do it photographically, we do it properly. We shot everything on location to ensure contact points, shadows, and perspective felt real. That physical accuracy gives you an edge in post.
Why shoot everything on location instead of in studio?
Light and perspective. If you shoot the environment and elements under the same conditions, you avoid endlessly trying to match studio light to location. It makes compositing more seamless.
For example, the desk lamps had to feel like massive streetlights. So we calculated lensing and camera height very carefully. If your camera is four feet off the ground, that works differently for a human subject than it does for a thirty-foot lamp.
You have to think through scale before you ever get to post.
There is a playful “I Spy” quality to the images. Was that intentional?
Yes. I like advertising that rewards looking. These were designed for large placements, airports, posters, magazine spreads. The idea was to keep your eye inside the composition. We worked hard so your gaze does not escape the frame. You discover details. Headphones on a crane. A pen that doubles as a fountain.
If you can hold someone in the image for longer than a scroll, that is powerful.
What does this project say about your broader approach?
I value traditional craft. I have seen the evolution from film to digital to CGI to AI. Each tool has its place. But control, realism, and storytelling are constant.
Whether I am building something in CGI or photographing it practically, I work backward from the final vision. I plan meticulously, then leave room for problem-solving. That balance between structure and openness is what allows the final image to feel both polished and alive.