S13 E12: Stock Isn’t Dead—You’re Just Using the Wrong Kind with Tina Loszewska & Jordan Aulin

In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, host Jen welcomes Tina Loszewska and Jordan Aulin, co-founders of Editorial Stock Images (ESI), a membership-based platform created by creatives for creatives. The conversation dismantles the stigma around stock photography by redefining it as high-quality, emotionally resonant, editorial-style imagery tailored for service-based brands, designers, and agencies. Tina and Jordan share their origin story—born from frustration with generic stock images while working with similar clients—and detail how they built ESI through grassroots connections with top-tier photographers, even during personal milestones like pregnancy. They emphasize that ESI isn’t about replacing brand shoots but supplementing them with intentional, diverse content—horizontal and vertical photos, videos, templates, and AI-generated assets—designed to help designers and brands tell richer visual stories. The episode dives into how ESI integrates AI responsibly, with transparent Thursday drops that are clearly labeled, reverse-searched for originality, and used to create impossible or expensive-to-shoot visuals like ice cubes falling from a locker. The hosts stress that AI is a tool, not a replacement, and that human taste, curation, and emotional intelligence remain irreplaceable. Key takeaways include: 1) Stock photography isn’t dead—it’s evolving into emotionally driven, editorial-style content that serves creative professionals; 2) Use ESI to fill gaps in client brand shoots, especially for service providers who lack budget or time for full productions; 3) AI can be a powerful asset when used intentionally and transparently by professionals, not as a shortcut; 4) Designers should start now with available imagery—headshots, props, and stock—instead of waiting for a perfect shoot; 5) ESI’s model of combining human creativity with AI innovation offers scalable, high-quality assets for solopreneurs and agencies alike. The overall sentiment is highly positive, celebrating innovation, authenticity, and the empowerment of creative professionals through thoughtful tools.