The purpose and intent of commercial photography is to promote or sell a product, service or idea. Whether that photography is being commissioned by a small business or a international brand, the imagery is used to create brand awareness and ultimately make the end user of the imagery more money. In today's ever changing digital landscape, high quality commercial imagery is more important than ever. With the continued, rapid growth of social media, delivery service apps and online shopping experiences, it's important for businesses to have highly creative, well produced and visually alluring imagery of their products and services in order to attract and retain paying customers.
Commercial Photography Used In Branding
Commercial photography can be used to create a strong brand identity for your business. Having access to visual marketing assets that demonstrate visually pleasing aesthetics on a consistent basis, can prove to be a very valuable tool in building a reputable visual identity for your company. It allows your business to develop a memorable and recognizable brand that will stand out from the competition as well as differentiate your products and services from the offerings of other companies in your respective industry.
Commercial Photography Used In Marketing
Commercial photography can be used to promote and market your products and services online or in print. It can be used on your company's social media feeds (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to help create a visual narrative, allowing your brand to connect with potential customers on a deeper, more personal level. Commercial photography can also be used on a company's website to showcase its products or services in a visual format making your website more user-friendly and easy to navigate. Furthermore, you can use commercial imagery in your inbound content marketing strategy in the form of a blog post, or email marketing campaign. Integrating the use of commercial photography into your marketing strategy will not only differentiate your brand, it can create customers that want to buy from you, which can in turn increase sales and ultimately help your business grow.
Commercial Photography Used In Advertising
In addition to branding and marketing, commercial photography can also be used for advertising purposes. When combining creative, high quality commercial imagery with strategic, well written copy and graphic design elements, you can create ads that are both visually alluring as well as informative. Thus creating a want, need and desire to purchase products and services with your brand's name on it. With these ads placed in the appropriate media channels, not only can you reach your target customer, you'll reach a much wider audience allowing your brand to generate more leads that lead to even more sales.
There are a few things to keep in mind when creating commercial photography:
The images should be of high quality and professional.
The images should be relevant to the business and its target audience.
The images should be consistent with the brand identity of the business.
Types of commercial photography can include but are not limited to:
Product photography used to promote and sell products through magazine ads and online retailers
Architectural photography used to promote and sell architecture and construction services to commercial real estate developers and municipalities
Commercial headshot photography for businesses looking to enhance their company culture & brand
Food photography used to promote a local or national food chain
Lifestyle imagery for businesses that need to visually portray their service in an advertisement
Automotive photography used in magazine advertising to sell vehicles or promote an event like a car show or race
Commercial Photography Services - Tips for Hiring A Professional Commercial Photographer
Hire A Professional Photographer. A professional commercial photographer will have the skill set and experience needed to create impactful images that will speak to your target audience as well as represent your brand in creative and unique ways. It's important to find the right type of photographer for your project. (Bonus Tip: Did you find an image that you like online? Do a reverse image search to the find the photographer who created it and consider hiring them for your project.) Commercial photographers are uniquely positioned to understand the marketing and advertising needs of a business and translate them into visual assets that aid in promoting and selling your products and services.
Be Clear About Your Goals. Before you start working with a photographer, be clear about what you want to achieve with your commercial photography. Do you want to create a strong visual identity for your brand? Promote your products or services? Generate leads for your business?
Have A Creative Brief and Shot List. These two documents are crucial to any creative project and will help guide you and your creative partners to a more successful outcome. I've written extensive articles on creative briefs and shot lists that you might find helpful.
Do Your Research. Once you know what you want to achieve, it's important to do your research and look for a reputable commercial photographer that specializes in the type of photography you need. For example, if your company designs and manufactures products, you'd probably want to hire a commercial photographer that specializes in product photography because they have a unique skill set that will deliver a better result. Also look for a photographer that has a solid portfolio of work to back it up. Make sure the photographers vision and style align with the aesthetic qualities you're going for. Their portfolio is a good indication of the quality and level of work you'll receive.
Be Prepared To Invest Time And Money. Commercial photography is an investment, both in time and money. Be prepared to spend the time to work with the photographer in order to create the perfect images for your business. Be sure to have a budget set aside for the creation of the images. Expect to pay a creative fee, a usage fee and any fees for expenses related to producing the project. Common expenses include but are not limited to props, set building supplies, retouching, stylists and talent.
Don't Be Afraid To Discuss Your Budget. Hiring a professional commercial photographer is not an inexpensive endeavor. Not only are there are various levels of experience and skill sets, there are also different levels of production required for different types of commercial projects. It's important to effectively communicate your budget up front so the photographer can better align your wants and needs with the production costs required to accomplish your goals. Commercial photographers are creative problem solvers. Being up front and honest about your budget allows the photographer to give you a better understanding of what can be done for that budget. Experienced commercial photographers can often find creative solutions to budgetary constraints.
Be Patient. Commercial photography takes time. Don't expect to see results overnight. Be patient and trust the creative process.
Commercial photography is an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. So if you are looking to improve your branding, marketing, or advertising you should consider integrating it into your visual marketing strategy. With the help of a professional commercial photographer, you can create eye catching and informative visuals that showcase your brand's products and services in a creative and meaningful way, allowing your company to attract and retain customers, increase sales, and grow your business.
