Separating the type of subjects or activities done by the commercial, portrait, or industrial photographer is difficult. There is a natural overlapping of each category. Even the equipment used can be similar, if not identical. In general, the commercial photographer photographs inanimate objects or things while the portrait photographer is more involved with people. Many smaller studios have only one or two photographers who wear many hats and produce quality images of things and people for their clients.
Commercial photographs produce images of many subjects. Typical would be:
These photographs might be used for publicity brochures or ads, web pages, company publications, catalogs, business and trade publications, display or wall decor, or postcards. The photographs record events or things for advertising, sales and promotional activities, and public relations for the client.
The commercial photographer is, in effect, a salesperson through photographs. Since he or she will be called upon to photograph a variety of subjects, the photographer must be versatile, quick to understand how the product works in order to photograph it intelligently, and able to exercise ingenuity. Learning all about a client's products and operation is important in order to hold an account for a long period of time. With this knowledge, the photographer can make photographs that will do a better job of selling the customer's products. Being able to tell the company's story photographically in a more imaginative way than other photographers is a priceless talent, and one that will hold accounts and bring increased business.
Commercial photography, however, is not the field for an up and coming photographer who wishes to take the time to do art photography. Commercial photography requires working under pressure. Sometimes it means being on call day and night, Sundays, and even holidays. Most jobs the commercial photographer undertakes have a rigid deadline.
Time is of the essence in commercial photography, and one of the photographer's most valuable commodities is fast service. The photographer must be ready to go at a moment's notice. It is not unusual for the photographer to answer the phone, receive a request from a customer, and be on the way to the assignment in a few minutes. Often photographers take the assignment in the afternoon and deliver the finished prints early the next morning. Because time is such a vital factor in commercial photography, some photographers maintain a complete set of equipment in their cars ready to go at all times. Failure to give speedy and dependable service has probably been responsible for more lost business than any other cause in commercial photography.
Commercial photographers range from the small town business person who also does some portraits to the celebrated big city illustrator who receives several thousand dollars for a single photograph. Although the latter gets high fees, the expenses are considerable. The photographer needs a good deal of working space, which means high rental, an extensive assortment of equipment, and complete set building facilities, to mention but a few examples. Because the pictures one is assigned to make are often used in costly advertisements, clients are willing to pay the high fee of the prominent photographer, confident that he or she will produce an effective photograph. They cannot afford to take chances with the high cost of the advertising space, deadlines, model fees, and other expenses. Much depends on the effectiveness, that is, on the selling power, of the picture.
Obviously, it takes a long time to reach the level of the large commercial studios, most of which are located in the big cities, where important accounts have offices.
The majority of commercial studios do a general business anything that comes along. As indicated previously, a commercial photographer may be called upon to photograph anything from banquets to window displays, from glassware to fashion, from passport photos to publicity pictures for magazines and newspapers. The tendency, however, is to specialize in one field, such as food or fashion, jewelry, furniture, and so on.
Some commercial photography studios specialize in architectural photography. Photography for catalogs is yet another popular specialization. Specialization is usually highly individualized. The photographer owner does most of the work, with the help of assistants. There are also career opportunities in commercial photography studios for stylists those who are responsible for details such as selecting props, dressing the set, and putting finishing touches on models' clothing, and for sales representatives and business managers. Of course, many laboratory technicians are needed.
Some of the best creative photography is being done in the fashion field, which calls for a combination of the artist and fashion expert, as well as a sharp eye for significant detail and the ability to portray the fashion product attractively.
Advantages And Disadvantages
In the event the commercial photographer plans to go into business for her or himself, it would be wise to consider some of the disadvantages of this area of photography. There are long hours, last minute rush assignments, deadline pressures, large investments in equipment, and the risks that any person takes when going into a business. Some of these disadvantages would not exist, however, if the photographer is an employee of a large commercial studio.
On the other hand, there are compensations and much personal satisfaction in this type of photography. It takes a particular business acumen to operate a successful commercial photography studio. There is the challenge of dealing directly with other successful businesspeople who come to you with various assignments. In addition, no two jobs are alike. This also makes for a great deal of challenge and diversification to the work. A chance to travel and the opportunity to learn firsthand about many different types of businesses and products are other advantages of commercial photography.
The financial return for a commercial photography business can be very lucrative through the years as you help to increase the demand for your clients' products. Usually, eye appealing photographs that do a good job of selling are the results of one or more alert photographers in an organization. If one account shows a steady business improvement through the effectiveness of good photographs it is more than likely that the same will prove true with all the other accounts. In this way, your photographic business will show a steady increase with an increasing number of new accounts. The goal is to develop a style of photography that makes companies and agencies come to you for outstanding photographs. It can be an endless chain of growth.
