What makes Good Commercial Photography?
Commercial Photography explained
Commercial photography seeks to demonstrate the value and unique qualities of your product. It can be utilised amongst an array of industries varying from fashion, lifestyle and products. Commercial photography aims to entice your customers and direct sales through attractive visual imagery.
Photography that promotes your product or service can be implemented across various campaign materials. Commercial photography is featured within print media such as brochures, billboards and posters. As well as online formats such as website design and social media. Focus is often on the simplicity and the uniqueness of your product. With fewer elements within the image, you can use it in a variety of ways to communicate with your client.
What isn’t commercial photography?
Commercial photography doesn’t aim to promote your product or service. It is instead focused on drawing your customer’s attention by highlighting its aesthetic qualities or unique features in simplistic yet creative ways. Alternatively, advertising photography is also as marketing material but instead creates a story for your product. This is to generate feelings or a particular lifestyle that your customers want to buy into. With such similarities, the two concepts are often mixed up.
Commercial and advertising photography can be differentiated through style and concept. Whilst commercial photography will focus on the simplicity of the product, advertising photography creates scenery surrounding the product or service. Features such as models and props are used to generate an image that entices buyers into the world of the product.
What makes good commercial photography?
Good commercial photography isn’t reliant upon one simple factor, nor is it not a skill that can be learnt in a day. It takes creativity, talent and passion to develop a concept for a brand and execute it within visually appealing photography.
Whilst many businesses will try to replicate professional commercial photography with their smartphones and office lighting, customers never engage in the same way. You won’t get the response you are looking for by saving costs through poor-quality images published in your marketing materials. To receive a valuable return on your investment, you need to invest in quality.
So, what makes good commercial photography? We strongly believe it is the photographer. There are so many key elements that professional commercial photographers bring to the table that cannot be replicated without years invested in education, equipment and refinement of creativity and talent.
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Experience
With such a competitive market, professional commercial photographers are constantly pushing themselves to learn more and deepen their skills. Many individuals achieve undergraduate and master’s degrees in commercial photography, with many more completing a variety of qualifications and certifications. This has led to plenty of technical ability amongst today’s photographers.
Application of their learning is of course what makes a particularly good commercial photographer stand out from the rest. Businesses often have high expectations and strict deadlines to meet. Those with experience can offer enhanced problem-solving skills to determine the right lighting, concept, poses, colour palette and a variety of other specifications to offer you the best photography for your brand.
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Equipment
The vast difference you will instantly notice between professional commercial photographers and amateurs is the quality and finish of an image. Professional photographers that have been in the industry for several years would have culminated an arsenal of cameras, lenses and lighting equipment at a collective expense of several thousands of pounds.
The rate that is paid to a professional photographer grants access to exclusive equipment that your business couldn’t independently obtain. Not only will you benefit from the quality of this gear, but also the skill and creativity that has been refined by the professional behind the lens. This collaboration between quality and craft is what will offer your business the cutting edge to capture the attention of your customers.
How to choose a professional commercial photographer
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Portfolio
Not every photographer will offer the exact style of photography that you are looking for. As professionals develop, they create their own style that cannot be replicated by others in the industry.
Assessing an individual’s portfolio is the best way to identify a style that fits the brief for your marketing campaign. By analysing work, they have produced in the past, you are viewing a culmination of their skill, education, talent and expertise within a collection of images.
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Attitude
Just by meeting a photographer, you might be able to tell whether they are the right person for your product shoot. Good commercial photographers will be passionate about your project. They might have lots of questions about your vision and the images you want to create.
Working with an individual that listens to your needs, rather than trying to demonstrate their skill, offers a productive session that will allow you to achieve your goals.
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Pricing
If you haven’t worked with professional commercial photographers before, negotiating pricing without a clear guideline can be awkward and frustrating. Whilst many photographers will be flexible in their pricing, those that offer guide prices are far easier to work with. This might include a set rate for a timed session or a number of images to be produced.
There are several costs associated with commercial photography. Including, transportation, equipment, set-up, pre-and post-production. Working with a photographer who knows how much this will cost, as well as how much they are worth, give you a clear path to determining the right budget for your project.
Professional Commercial Photographer Cardiff
Christian Stone is a professional photographer and videographer based in Cardiff, UK. He offers premium commercial photography packages for businesses across South Wales. Christian has worked with a variety of clients to produce visual media that defines brands and draws customer interest.
With an impressive portfolio of work, Christian specialises in product commercial photography as well as fashion, sports, portraits and a wide range of photographic materials for your business’s needs.
Check out his portfolio or contact Christian Stone with the following details.
International House,
10 Churchill Way,
Cardiff
CF10 2HE