Dale May | Home | New York Advertising Photographer & CGI Artist
FULL-SPECTRUM VISUAL ARTIST.
Every Layer. One Signature.
Dale May is a multi award-winning New York-based advertising photographer, commercial video director and photoreal CGI artist specializing in pharmaceutical, healthcare and global brand advertising campaigns. He creates comprehensive visual campaigns from a single creative source: photography, video, CGI, VFX, AI, animation, creative retouching, and post production, all under one unified vision.
FULL-SERVICE ADVERTISING PRODUCTION: PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO, CGI, VFX, ANIMATION & AI
Today's advertising campaigns require:
• Portrait & Lifestyle Photography
• Photorealistic CGI Environments & Products
• Directors & Video Production
• Visual Effects (VFX)
• Animation
• Complex Post Production (Still & Video)
• AI Assisted Asset Generation
Traditionally, that means hiring multiple vendors, multiple teams, and managing creative across departments.
I eliminate that complexity.
ADVERTISING PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY & CINEMATIC BRAND STORYTELLING
My work is built on the foundation of a strong portrait, a negotiation between truth and performance.
From there, creative technology builds the world around it, strengthening the story and shaping the best path forward to a powerful campaign.
PHOTOREALISTIC CGI CREATION FOR PRODUCT & ENVIRONMENT
As a NY based advertising photographer and CGI artist, I create custom photorealistic CGI environments, props, and product extensions that seamlessly integrate with both video & still photography. Commercial advertising campaigns move forward without waiting on weather, geography, or logistics.
Using CGI is not a substitute for my location shoots. It's a strategic advantage that elevates control, expands creative possibilities and ensures visual consistency.
Every CGI environment I build starts from scratch: modeled, lit, textured, and rendered to match the specific photography it will contain. That precision is what makes the integration invisible. For a look inside the process, the CGI Hybrid Photography section includes before-and-after animations showing exactly how a blank Blender 3D viewport becomes a Montana ranch, a vintage motel room, a beach at golden hour, or a pharmaceutical campaign set. No stock environments. No shortcuts. Every world is built for the specific campaign.
[See the CGI Process and BTS Animations]
DIRECTION & VIDEO PRODUCTION
Commercial video production for advertising & pharma campaigns, from broadcast spots to digital and social.
I direct and shoot with the same visual language as the still campaign, ensuring brand consistency across platforms.
INTEGRATED VFX, ANIMATION & POST PRODUCTION
Advanced visual effects, compositing, retouching, and animation.
From subtle realism to fully cinematic sequences, everything is built to broadcast and agency standards.
AI ENHANCED CREATIVE PRODUCTION FOR ADVERTISING
I use AI as a tool, never the author of the work.
Integrated selectively and only with client approval, it accelerates concept development, expands environment creation, supports animation, and streamlines complex production workflows.
Every project begins with original photography and video capture. AI is layered in only when appropriate, ensuring the final work remains ownable, copyrightable, and rooted in real imagery.
Technology supports the vision. It does not replace it.
All AI integration happens within a closed system. No external distribution or loss of ownership. Just secure, intentional use in service of the campaign.
For more information on Dale's use of AI in advertising production, visit the AI Workflow page.
THE HYBRID ADVANTAGE
Seamless integration between photography, video, and CGI
A unified creative vision from concept through delivery
Faster production and intelligent adaptation to creative changes
Fewer compromises between departments
One clear point of communication
No handoffs. No reinterpretation of intent. No wasted time sending visuals back and forth between teams.
Agencies searching for a pharmaceutical advertising photographer who can also direct video and build photorealistic CGI environments often face fragmented production. I unify the entire campaign under one creative lead.
LET'S BUILD AN ENTIRE CAMPAIGN - NOT JUST PART OF IT
Based in New York. Available worldwide.
Recently featured in Workbook for the Camcevi HCP campaign for Accord BioPharma.
My portfolio spans advertising campaigns, pharmaceutical work, celebrity portraits, CGI, lifestyle, conceptual and personal projects. Start with the section most relevant to your brief.
Take a look at my PORTFOLIO and let's create something amazing!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kinds of advertising campaigns does Dale May produce?
Dale produces conceptual advertising campaigns for global consumer brands, healthcare and pharmaceutical clients, entertainment, and editorial. Recent work spans lifestyle, beauty, automotive, healthcare, music, and celebrity portraiture, all built around photography, CGI, motion, and AI-assisted production under one creative lead.
What is Dale May's single-artist approach?
Dale combines photography, CGI, motion, VFX, animation, AI integration, and post-production under one artist. The result for agencies is faster turnarounds, fewer handoffs, lower coordination costs, and a unified visual language across stills and motion. The same person who shoots the campaign also builds the world it lives in.
Does Dale May use AI in his work, and is the output ownable?
Yes, when clients approve. Dale uses AI tools selectively for concept development, environment creation, animation, and complex production challenges. Every deliverable is built within a controlled workflow that preserves copyright and ownership. AI is a tool in the production process, never the author.
How does Dale's hybrid photography and CGI process work?
Dale shoots live-action photography in studio or on location, then composites it into photorealistic CGI environments built in Blender. This produces fully realized campaign imagery without expensive location shoots, full control over lighting, weather, and architecture, and infinite revisions without reshoots.
Can Dale May handle both still and motion production for the same campaign?
Yes. Dale produces integrated still and motion content from a single creative vision. This includes broadcast video, social cutdowns, and cinemagraph animation, all delivered with consistent lighting, color, and visual language across every asset.
Does Dale May have experience with pharmaceutical and healthcare campaigns?
Yes. Dale has produced pharmaceutical and healthcare campaigns spanning oncology, vaccines, gene therapy, and healthcare technology. Pharmaceutical and healthcare clients include Shingrix, Voranigo, Intellia Therapeutics, Camcevi, Genentech, and EDIMS. His single-artist model simplifies pharma production, protects creative consistency, and streamlines agency approvals across DTC and HCP platforms.
What other kinds of projects does Dale May take on?
While Dale specializes in end-to-end campaign execution, he is also available for advertising photography, commercial video direction, CGI product and environment creation, VFX and post-production, celebrity and PR photography, music videos, and on-set still photography.
Where is Dale May based and does he work internationally?
Dale is based in New York. He regularly works on global campaigns and coordinates with international agency teams, with full remote production capability through his single-artist workflow.
Have more questions about working with Dale May? Visit the Full FAQ Page for more information about campaign production, CGI environments, AI workflows, and working with advertising agencies.
To learn more about how hybrid photography and CGI production works for pharmaceutical advertising campaigns, read the full Process & How It Works article.
Home |
Portfolios |
Motion |
Case Studies |
Selected Campaigns |
Exhibition |
A.I. |
About |
Awards |
Press & News |
Process |
Contact |
FAQ
