What Is a Commercial Photographer?

Strong customer engagement will always come down to good images because 65% of people are visual learners. That means they discover, get drawn into, and ultimately purchase products based on what they see. Have you realized the value a successful photographer offers to brands yet?

The Benefit of Using Professional Photographers to Create Ads and Content

Brands, organizations, and influencers rely on commercial photographers to create a wide range of eye-catching, brand-defining images. Commercial photography is an integral part of any promotional effort or marketing strategy because it allows the client to carefully craft images and “moods” that represent their trademark. Once clients find a commercial photographer in Miami capable of creating a range of images, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to brand perception.

What Potential Clients Need to Know: Stunning Business Photography Makes a Difference

There’s no doubt that we exist in an image-rich economy. In an era where everyone can snap photos on their phones, high-quality images become differentiators. There’s simply no replacing a well-designed photo campaign. In fact, a 2021 study found that displaying a product in a rich contextual setting enhances perceptions of emotional value and heightens purchase intentions among female shoppers. Come dive deeper into the incredible difference commercial photos can make.

The Basics: What Is Commercial Photography?

Merging the artistic lens with a keen marketing strategy, commercial photography focuses on creating high-quality images that promote products, brands, movements, organization, philosophies, events, and more for every type of client. The same qualities that make images captivating for the public can also be tailored for personalized lifestyle photography.

The Wide World of Commercial Photography

An experienced commercial photographer is capable of curating perfect commercial photography campaigns for all genres. This includes:

Advertising Photography: Creates images that are optimized for ad campaigns for digital and print mediums.
Product Photography: Involves creating compelling images of products for advertisements, online listings, catalogs, social media posts, and other marketing assets.
Food Photography: A product photographer in the food space captures enticing, inspiring photos of ingredients, prepared foods, and packaged foods for use in ads, cookbooks, and more.
Commercial Event Photography: Captures the flow of people at red carpets, award ceremonies, corporate events, galas, and other special events with a photojournalist’s perspective.
Product Packaging Photography: A logo isn’t enough to make product packaging compelling. Research shows that consumers favor brands that use faces in their imagery on product packaging. A skilled commercial photographer can produce images for labels that enhance selling potential.
Fashion and Jewelry Photography: Snaps clothing and fashion-related items to highlight the beauty and detailing of each piece of clothing or accessory when placed over a background or worn by a model. A commercial shoot often involves collaboration with a makeup artist and set designer.
Nature or Animal Photography: If a commercial photography campaign requires greenery or wildlife, a pro specializing in this branch of photography can create stunning images that can either stand alone or be integrated into other images. Did you know that a 2022 study published in the Journal of Marketing found that people are more likely to take chances on products when ads show images of cats or dogs?
Portrait Photography: Used for everything from corporate and personal websites to business cards, commercial photos of people capture the essence and spark of each subject in a polished, flattering light.
Architectural and Real Estate Photography: From major retail spaces and iconic institutions that are being highlighted in a publication to luxury properties that are listed by real estate agents, commercial photographers create the kinds of images that highlight the scope and beauty of architectural structures and their accompanying grounds.

The Job of a Commercial Photographer: Peek Behind the Lens

Commercial photography isn’t all about taking pictures — commercial photographers are planners, coordinators, creative problem solvers, and technical craftsmen. They collaborate side-by-side with clients and crews to take the creative vision of an advertising campaign and transform it into compelling, high-quality photographs.

What a Commercial Photographer Offers

A commercial photographer’s skills cover:

Technical proficiency with different cameras and lenses to achieve specific visual results.
Visual literacy that allows them to translate ideas and concepts into different kinds of images.
Exceptional communication skills for translating ideas back and forth with clients, models, crew members, location owners, and more.
Skills for composition and framing to balance visual elements in ways that catch attention. In addition, pros utilize proportions, perspective, and scale to create stunning images that draw attention.
Lighting expertise for capturing high-quality images in all conditions and environments.
Editing skills that allow them to retouch, tweak, and perfect images using post-production software that optimized images for different digital and static platforms.

While commercial photography is highly technical, the creative aspect is what differentiates a pro from someone with a camera. Pros are also highly adaptable when it comes to bringing creative solutions to obstacles or setbacks.

Showcase Your Business in Best Light

High-impact commercial photography that tells the story of your brand

The Process: What a Professional Photographer Does

Whether shooting spreads for fashion magazines or making a product look like it was sent down from heaven, a professional photographer handles millions of moving pieces on behalf of the client on shoot day. They plan carefully to ensure that every minute of a booked commercial shoot is utilized as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The Duties of a Photographer at a Photo Shoot

Photography skill sets cover editing skills, people skills, and so much in between! During a hectic shoot, a photographer spearheads the following:

Scouting locations ahead of time to organize around lighting conditions, views, foot traffic, busy roads, and other factors that need to be accounted for. This allows them to see where pieces of equipment or backdrops will need to be placed.
Looking at inspiration photos representing the type of photos requested with the client to lock down a thematic focus.
Working with location owners or venues to get set areas prepared.
Coordinating with set designers, makeup artists, prop experts, vendors, and other stakeholders to create cohesiveness.
Arranging special lighting setups.
Executing a contract with a client that includes a series of guidelines for content delivery and usage limitations.

What Types of Brands Do Commercial Photographers Work With?

Trained professional photographers are qualified to work in a range of niches spanning all industries. While many operate their own portrait photography studios, professional photographers frequently travel to shooting locations for their clients. The workplace of a commercial photographer is wherever they are booked on a given day! Most jobs for professional photographers are commissioned by:

Advertising agencies focused on print and digital campaigns.
Marketing firms that need content for websites, social media, commercials, and digital marketing.
Online retailers seeking high-quality product photographs for e-commerce platforms.
Magazines and other publications needing top-tier photos for print and digital versions.
Fashion designers creating “lookbooks” or editorial photo shoots.
Food brands and restaurants are creating appetizing images of food and food products.
Real estate agents and architectural firms looking to showcase projects or properties.
Car dealerships, automobile manufacturers, and automotive publications creating ad campaigns, guide books, or marketing materials.
Tech firms and major corporations seeking to document special events.
Corporations, healthcare companies, and medical institutions seeking promotional photos.
Hospitality and travel brands creating websites and marketing materials showcasing their accommodations or destinations.
Event planners and firms hiring professional photographers to document corporate events, fundraising galas, product debuts, and more.

It goes without saying that the most common skill of a working photographer is adaptability. A photography business owner might work with a small business, government agency, and major tech corporation all within the same month.

Commercial Images Keep Commerce Moving: Why a Commercial Photography Service Will Always Be a Worthy Investment

Consumers respond powerfully to well-done marketing images. For example, a 2021 study found that advertising images eliciting awe have a more positive impact on purchase likelihood. It takes talent to create a sense of awe. That’s why a commercial photographer is a worthy investment. Don’t take a chance! Work with a trusted Miami photographer with a stunning portfolio that includes iconic shots for Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, Maxim, and more. Contact Daria Koso today!