Commercial & Advertising Photography
Commercial photography and advertising photography are lucrative fields for the professional photographer. Commercial and advertising photography is used for promotional purposes rather than preserving a memory or telling a story as in fine art photography and photojournalism. The difference between commercial and advertising photography is focus and technique. Job opportunities for photographers are anticipated to increase by 12 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These photographers usually specialize in creating vignettes, art direction, and still life photography.
The Difference between the two:
Commercial Photography: Commercial photographers take photos of buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts and landscapes that are used for promotional purposes in books, reports, advertisements and catalogs, for example. Commercial photographs typically are used entirely in the retail and wholesale sectors and in sales materials or for promotional efforts. In commercial photography, the entire photo shoot is devoted to the product being photographed. The lighting, styling and background generally are somewhat neutral so as not to detract from the product being promoted.
Advertising Photography: The world of advertising photography is broader than the narrower array of techniques used in commercial photography. The advertising photographer uses a wide variety of photographs to sell not only products but lifestyles, concepts and ideas. The advertising photographer has greater creative freedom to interpret how products, services, lifestyles and ideas can be presented photographically. Advertising photographers are often experts at marketing, layout, business management and sales trends. An estimated 80 percent of all advertising campaigns use photography, as of 2011, according to Goldprints.com.
The Difference between the two:
Commercial Photography: Commercial photographers take photos of buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts and landscapes that are used for promotional purposes in books, reports, advertisements and catalogs, for example. Commercial photographs typically are used entirely in the retail and wholesale sectors and in sales materials or for promotional efforts. In commercial photography, the entire photo shoot is devoted to the product being photographed. The lighting, styling and background generally are somewhat neutral so as not to detract from the product being promoted.
Advertising Photography: The world of advertising photography is broader than the narrower array of techniques used in commercial photography. The advertising photographer uses a wide variety of photographs to sell not only products but lifestyles, concepts and ideas. The advertising photographer has greater creative freedom to interpret how products, services, lifestyles and ideas can be presented photographically. Advertising photographers are often experts at marketing, layout, business management and sales trends. An estimated 80 percent of all advertising campaigns use photography, as of 2011, according to Goldprints.com.
Commercial, Product & Still Life Photographers: Thomas Kuoh Tim Tadder Jim Karageorge Tom Hussey Carter Dow
Still Life Lighting Tips:
Lighting is the single most important element of “Still Life” photography. The way a photographer uses light for still life will add mood, give context, provide interest, and ultimately, create a dynamic still life photograph. Lighting for still life is not complicated. In fact, stick to these 5 tips, and you will nail your still life shots every time.
1. Use an simple backdrop: Wrinkles and ridges in a still life photograph – unless a part of the setting – will be distracting to your main subject. Be vigilant about keeping your backdrops smooth and simple.
2. Make your lighting contrasty: Whether you are using strobes, speedlights, or LED’s, it’s important that your “ratio” from one light to the next is varied. The main light should be strongest, and the second light should simply provide a nice fill.
3. Light directionally: Side light is always most effective for bringing out texture and creating dynamic variation between the highlights and shadows. Whether rings, or florals, side light will enable you to give dimension and depth to your still life imagery.
4. Pay attention to your angles: Two things to think about when faced with a studio lighting scenario. a). The position of the lights to your subject and b). the position of your subject to the camera. Side light will give dimension, but so also will the angle at which you take your shot [ie. side, above, below, etc.]. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change up angles. A photo is most interesting when you give a new perspective to something that is ordinary.
5. Light for shape: We see life 3 dimensionally. For this reason, the most dynamic photographs are the ones in which the audience could walk into the scene, or reach out and touch the subject. Lighting for shape will be most emphasized by side light, when your highlights spread along the edge of your subject and add that 3rd dimension.
Lighting is the single most important element of “Still Life” photography. The way a photographer uses light for still life will add mood, give context, provide interest, and ultimately, create a dynamic still life photograph. Lighting for still life is not complicated. In fact, stick to these 5 tips, and you will nail your still life shots every time.
1. Use an simple backdrop: Wrinkles and ridges in a still life photograph – unless a part of the setting – will be distracting to your main subject. Be vigilant about keeping your backdrops smooth and simple.
2. Make your lighting contrasty: Whether you are using strobes, speedlights, or LED’s, it’s important that your “ratio” from one light to the next is varied. The main light should be strongest, and the second light should simply provide a nice fill.
3. Light directionally: Side light is always most effective for bringing out texture and creating dynamic variation between the highlights and shadows. Whether rings, or florals, side light will enable you to give dimension and depth to your still life imagery.
4. Pay attention to your angles: Two things to think about when faced with a studio lighting scenario. a). The position of the lights to your subject and b). the position of your subject to the camera. Side light will give dimension, but so also will the angle at which you take your shot [ie. side, above, below, etc.]. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change up angles. A photo is most interesting when you give a new perspective to something that is ordinary.
5. Light for shape: We see life 3 dimensionally. For this reason, the most dynamic photographs are the ones in which the audience could walk into the scene, or reach out and touch the subject. Lighting for shape will be most emphasized by side light, when your highlights spread along the edge of your subject and add that 3rd dimension.