Featured in Graphis Journal #386, Robert Seale is a photographer whose work bridges editorial, commercial, and industrial photography with uncommon range and precision. From capturing the raw intensity of professional athletes to documenting the choreography of industrial environments and aviation legends, Seale approaches each assignment with a cinematic eye—one that reveals narrative depth in the split-second moment. His command of light and composition transforms technical subjects into images that feel both intimate and expansive, grounding complexity in visual clarity. In this feature, Seale reflects on his creative journey, the mentors who shaped his vision, and the philosophy behind his dynamic body of work.

What’s your go-to camera and why—and how has your equipment evolved over the course of your career?

These days, I primarily use the Canon R5. In my early Sporting News days, we used manual focus cameras and shot portraits on Hasselblads. I’ve been using Canon digital systems since the early 2000s and have stuck with them as the gear has evolved.

You’ve collaborated with major names—from ExxonMobil and Pepsi to Under Armour and Sports Illustrated. How do you approach projects for such institutions, and what have you learned from those experiences?

These fall into three very different categories:

• Corporate (like ExxonMobil) often involves just me and a small team working on location to build an image library.
• Advertising (like Pepsi or Under Armour) tends to include larger crews, tighter shot lists, limited licensing, and clients watching live via a digital tech station.
• Editorial (like Sports Illustrated) might involve just me or one assistant, with a mix of reportage, portraits, and action—usually with a small footprint and lots of creative freedom.

Each type requires a different mindset and level of production, and learning to navigate those differences has been essential.

What has been your most memorable project to date, and what makes it stand out?

There have been several. During my newspaper career, I was sent to South Africa to shoot a swimsuit issue for the fashion section. At the Sporting News, I once flew around the country photographing nine famous baseball players in vintage 1930s uniforms with antique gloves for a black-and-white portrait essay on “throwback players.”

For a corporate annual report, I traveled to northern Alberta to photograph massive mining trucks at an oil sands facility, with the aurora borealis in the background. I climbed the side of giant Q-Max tankers in Qatar via rope ladder in the dark to catch the sunrise from the bridge as they entered port.

I also worked on brochures for a major healthcare system in Texas, where I shot everything from cancer researchers and portraits of top doctors to real surgeries—including a kidney transplant and open-skull brain surgery while the patient was awake. I’ve been very lucky to experience so many incredible and unusual assignments.

With AI on the rise, where do you see the future of photography heading—and what’s your take on its role in the creative process?

I’m deeply concerned about how AI tools are being trained on our work without permission. If this were writing or music, we’d call it plagiarism. From a national security standpoint, the threat of fake AI-generated photojournalism is terrifying. We’re entering an era where manipulated imagery could easily be used to spread misinformation or even provoke conflict.

That said, I do think there’s a role for AI in ethical post-production—removing a powerline, fixing a background, or solving retouching problems. I hope there’ll always be high-level clients who value authenticity and will want to commission real photography that’s honest, crafted, and human.

https://www.robertseale.com

The full Q&A and insights continue in Graphis Journal 386.