Types of Commercial Photography

Promoting a Business Businesses may want to use commercial photography to promote themselves, or particular aspects of their work. Most commercial photography professionals will not take on an industrial photographic shoot (like in a factory). A common method of promoting businesses is through architectural and building photography, where the business can be seen as a product.

Culinary (FOOD) Photography Food can be photographed to promote menus or for use in culinary sections of magazines. Shots can either focus upon the food, similar to catalogue shots of clothes They can take in the mood and feel of a venue. Food photography can be performed by those with knowledge of nature or still-life shots. Food made by the restaurant should be photographed there, so the photographer will need to have portable lighting and backgrounds for the photographs. Can also utilize action shots in the kitchen for magazines, to show off chef skills and cleanliness.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY Fashion photography is probably the best known type of commercial photography Seen in advertisements as well as editorials in magazines. There are a range of styles and techniques in commercial fashion photography: -catalogue photographs (which attempt to show the entire detail of clothing) to -editorial shots (which attempt to use the clothes in unusual and dynamic ways)

ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY This type requires you to go to locations to photograph buildings. Can be for companies and cities to use in their promotional marketing material (ads, websites, etc) This can also include real estate photography for companies trying to sell homes and buildings Freelance (meaning they work for themselves) photographers sell stock photos of buildings to search engines Can also find work selling these photos as prints for decorative purposes

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY This type requires you to go to locations to photograph outdoor environments. Can be for cities/states/countries to use in their promotional marketing material (ads, websites, etc) and tourism. It is almost exclusively freelance work unless you find a job for an outdoors/nature magazine or website. Freelance (meaning they work for themselves) photographers sell stock photos of picture-scapes like these to search engines Can also find work selling these photos as prints for decorative purposes

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY Fashionable since photography was invented in the nineteenth century Family portraits by professional photographers remain one of the most lucrative areas in the industry. Often not thought of as commercial photography, family portraits and wedding photographs are popular, so it is important to understand how to a) light the human body, and b) arrange families into traditional or fashionable poses As portrait photography is so popular, there are a number of outlets which provide this service like retail stores, private studios, and freelance photographers

GOOGLE SCAVENGER HUNT! Search online for photos representing each of the 5 types of commercial photography you just wrote about: Culinary Fashion Architectural Landscape Portrait ***Then save all 5 to your P-Drive (that is the one with your ID number) because we will turn them in on Google Classroom on Monday!***