Commercial photography is photography that is being used to sell something. It is an essential aspect of many businesses—big and small. Learn more about this vital skill and how it can help your business.
In this article, we’ll cover:
What Is Commercial Photography?
Commercial photography is photography that is being used to sell something.
Examples of types of commercial photography can be food photography, product photography, lifestyle photography, fashion photography, or architectural photography.
Commercial photography can be created in a studio setting or on location. Commercial photographers help businesses sell and market products by creating beautiful imagery.
Companies commission the majority of commercial photography, but they may also license an existing image from a photographer for commercial usage.
Different Types of Commercial Photography
A number of photography genres fit under the commercial photography umbrella.
Commercial photography is an in-demand style because of the growth of brands using social media to sell products and services.
Here are some commercial photography examples.
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Commercial Product Photography
Product photography is the most well-known type of commercial photography. With the rise of e-commerce, the demand for commercial product photography has grown substantially.
Product photography can be extremely straightforward, with an almost clinical look. Think of products photographed against white backgrounds with even lighting. But commercial product photography can also be colorful and bold.
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The style of product photography depends largely on what the product is and who it’s being marketed to. It’s not unheard of for a product to be photographed in various ways to meet the needs of different markets.
Product photography can be shot in the studio or on location. Product photography shot in the studio often borrows the lighting techniques of still-life photographers.
Many on-location shoots fall into the category of lifestyle photography.
Commercial Food Photography
Commercial food photography can include pictures made for a restaurant, a food brand, or a cookbook. These photos are enticing potential customers to eat or drink the product.
High-end commercial food shoots can take place in a studio or on location. These shoots always have a food stylist working alongside the photographer.
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The food stylist’s job is to keep the food looking its best on set. Sometimes that means that the product will be inedible by the end of the shoot day.
A commercial shoot for a bar and/or restaurant is more likely to take place on location at the establishment. It’s common for the chef to be plating all the food for the photographer at a commercial shoot like this.
Commercial Fashion Photography
Fashion photography is where art and commerce meet. Fashion photography is commercial photography that is often associated with and influenced by portrait and art photography—but its ultimate purpose is to sell clothing and accessories.
A high-end commercial fashion shoot can be shot in a studio or on location. Regardless of location, the photo team for a commercial photo shoot like this tends to be massive. A typical commercial fashion shoot will include art directors, lighting assistants, camera assistants, talent, hair and makeup, wardrobe, and more.
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On an e-commerce photo shoot, the photographer is shooting against a white backdrop with simple lighting. These shoots require a smaller team, but the days are long and a photographer needs to be able to shoot a lot of different looks very quickly.
Regardless of the size of the fashion shoot, it’s extremely helpful to have hair, makeup, and a stylist on set to keep the talent looking their best and reduce any retouching that needs to be done in the post-production.
Commercial Architectural Photography
Architectural photography is commercial photography that can be used by the real estate industry, the tourism industry, the hospitality industry, or the emerging experiential museum industry. Architectural photos showcase the interior and exterior of buildings.
Examples of architectural photography can include historic monuments, fancy new apartment buildings, or temporary branded experiential pop-ups. By definition, architectural photography is shot on location.
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On an architectural commercial photo shoot, there are many elements that you won’t be able to control—like the weather. The timing of when the shoot happens is extremely important here. Light looks very different early in the morning compared to in the middle of the day.
Lifestyle Photography
Lifestyle photography is an umbrella term in commercial photography that refers to pictures of people living their lives.
In the context of commercial photography, it generally means that people are living the “best” version of their lives, with help from whatever product is being sold.
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Lifestyle photography can include all of the above styles of photography and sometimes brings a few different styles together. It is meant to look like documentary photography, except it’s staged.
What It Takes to Become a Commercial Photographer
Commercial photography is one of the most reliable income sources for working photographers. There is a huge demand for commercial photography and the scale of jobs varies greatly.
This means that there are opportunities for photographers working in a wide variety of styles and at every stage of their career.
Here are some tips for getting started as a commercial photographer.
Build a Portfolio
When you are first starting out in any genre of photography, it’s important to have a strong portfolio that demonstrates your skills. When a client is going to pay you money for your work this becomes even more important.
Building a strong portfolio is crucial for commercial photographers. They give potential clients a sense of how you might fit into their projects. Create a portfolio of work that you want to keep shooting.
If you are just starting out, you probably don’t have any clients yet. Staging shoots on your own is a great way to build that portfolio.
Asking to photograph small businesses in your community can also help you build a commercial portfolio to get to the next level.
Work as an Assistant on Commercial Photo Shoots
Finding work as an assistant with a more established commercial photographer is an excellent way to learn what it takes to be a commercial photographer. It’s also one of the best ways to get on-set experience and learn set etiquette.
Landing gigs working with top commercial photographers can be extremely competitive—if you are just starting out, it’s better to reach out to someone at an earlier stage of their career.
Research photographers in your area who are doing work that you admire and send them an email. Even if they aren’t looking for an assistant at the moment, they might have a job in the future that requires one.
Practice Commercial Photography on Your Own
Making pictures on your own time is an important aspect of being a successful commercial photographer.
Practicing lighting techniques and staging commercial shoots is a great way to build out a portfolio of work, but it will also give you a level of confidence on actual jobs.
Practicing on your own means that if something goes sideways with a light or a camera, you will be better equipped to troubleshoot it on an actual commercial shoot.
Finding a Great Commercial Photographer
Before you start cold-emailing every commercial photographer in your area, it’s useful to determine what your needs are.
There are a ton of great commercial photographers out there. Finding the right one for the job depends on a variety of factors like style, budget, and delivery needs.
Does Your Business Need Commercial Photography?
Businesses usually need commercial photography when they are opening their doors, about to launch a new product, or growing in a new direction.
If your business falls into one of these categories, then it might be time to hire a commercial photographer. And, we’ve got you covered.
Shutterstock Studios has a massive network of commercial photographers that can support any project.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Commercial Photographer
Before hiring a commercial photographer, it’s important to have some type of vision of what you are looking for. What will the photographs look like? Where will the photographs be used? What are the final deliverables for the job?
Asking yourself these questions is a great way to start.
Although it’s good to have an idea of scope of the project, it’s also important to not be too rigid in the early stages—the overall vision can shift depending on who you end up working with.
Make a Mood Board
Making a simple list of where the images will appear is a great way to narrow the scope of the project.
At this stage, it can also be helpful to create a mood board featuring styles that you hope your own campaign will emulate.
Creating a mood board will make it much easier to find a commercial photographer who aligns with the identity and style of the brand or business.
Make a Ballpark Budget
Finally, you should consider your budget. Budgets on commercial shoots can vary dramatically depending on the complexity of the shoot and the deliverables.
For example, a small-scale shoot can cost anywhere between $2,500 and $12K. The line items of a budget can vary on what you are shooting and where—but having a ballpark number in mind before you reach out to a commercial photographer is extremely helpful.
Having answers to these questions will show that you are prepared and ready to hire someone. An experienced commercial photographer will help you figure out the finer details of the commercial photo shoot before it happens.
How to Spot a Great Professional Photographer and Steps for Hiring Them
Spotting a great professional photographer who is also a great commercial photographer takes time and research.
Lucky for you, our team at Shutterstock Studios is ready to assist you. With experienced, professional photographers, you’ll be ready to impress.
Companies like Aveeno, Anthelios Kids sunscreen, Audible, Coke, and Nespresso have entrusted their company’s success to Shutterstock Studios, ensuring quality performance.
Shutterstock Studios commercial photography product shots via Aveeno, Nespresso, and Coke.
Here are some additional tips that will help you find the right person/company for the job.
Reference Your Mood Board
Remember that mood board you created? Go back to it and look at the photographers whose work you included on it.
If there is a particular style that speaks to you, it’s possible that you can hire that photographer to create something for you.
If you can’t find the name of the person who created a particular image, using a tool like reverse Google Image Search can be a great way to track down the original creator.
Look at Portfolios
Great professional commercial photographers have portfolios. These portfolios will showcase the work they are most proud of but also highlight the types of work they are interested in doing.
Someone might be a great portrait photographer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be the right fit for photographing food and drinks.
Also, professional photographers working at a certain level might have representation. In addition to checking out portfolios, make sure to look at the About Me and Contact pages.
These sections of a photographer’s portfolio will give you a better idea of who else they’ve worked for and if they are represented by a creative agency.
Although a social media page isn’t a replacement for an online portfolio, it can be a great way to get a sense of someone’s style and personality, and get a sneak peek of the in-progress work that hasn’t made it to their portfolio yet.
Set up a Call
If you find yourself impressed with a commercial photographer’s work online and want to hire them for your commercial photo shoot, send out an email and set up a call.
On this call, you can discuss the vision for the shoot, what you hope to accomplish, and talk through the initial budget.
Having a call about the potential job with the photographer is a great way to determine if they are the right fit for your commercial shoot.
Clear communication is important for a successful commercial shoot, establishing it early on will make things run much smoother as you plan for the eventual commercial photo shoot.
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