Commercial Photography

Commercial photography is probably best defined as any photography for which the photographer is paid for images rather than works of art. In this spectrum, money could be paid for the subject of the photograph or the photograph itself.

Wholesale, retail, and professional uses of photography would fall under this definition. Commercial photographers usually take pictures of various subjects like advertising photography, fashion photography, crime scene photos, still life, food, glamour, editorial, structural, photojournalism, weddings and events, wildlife, photo sharing and landscape photography, just to list a variety. Commercial photography is where paparazzi would come into play. These photographs are used in a variety of media, including books, reports, advertisements, and catalogs.

Photographers need good eyesight, artistic capability, and good hand-eye organization. They should be patient, precise, and detail-oriented. They should be able to work well with others, as they regularly deal with clients, graphic designers, and advertising and publishing specialists. It is a necessity for photographers to know how to use computer software programs and applications that let them to prepare and edit photos. Another thing, the ones who market directly to clients should know how to use the Internet to demonstrate their works.

In the commercial industry you have to know what the story behind the photo is, but you need to imaginative, creative, and original. There is competition in this area, as you want your photography to stand apart from your colleagues in the field of commercial photography.

Many people take photographs for self-fulfillment or commercial purposes. Commercial photography is needed by the following agencies or businesses: advertising agencies, design firms, fashion magazines, companies selling products (e.g., Kellogg's, Hunt's, Gap, Emerson, etc.), magazines, authors for book illustration, and many other industries.

Candid photography is a form of commercial photography but on a different level. It differentiates itself from paparazzi in the sense that it is planned but it is capturing the best moments of spontaneity, unobtrusive, and in the now. Candid photo sessions are usually private affairs, such as holidays, birthdays, and wedding receptions.