Before a business owner hires a Professional Photographer, they need to consider what type of photography they need to have done. This is more than just asking the photographer to take a few pictures of their products and determining the end goal of the photographs can make a significant difference in how they turn out. Below are the differences between commercial and editorial photos so a business owner can decide what they’d prefer.
Commercial Photography
Commercial photography is generally done to try to sell a product. In advertisements for a certain type of food, for example, the photographs will showcase the food that’s being sold. The same goes for clothes, toys, and any other item. The photos are typically done with a plain or white background so that nothing takes the eye off the product that’s being sold. For example, a standard commercial shot for a glass of wine will include a blank background, simple lighting, a glass with wine poured in it already and the bottle of the wine that’s being sold. A professional will have ideas on how to showcase the product to make sure the photograph will help it sell.
Editorial Photography
Editorial photography goes a step further than commercial photography. These photographs attempt to not only show the product but to show a story as well. Instead of a plain glass with wine next to the bottle, there might be other elements to the photograph showing the wine led to a fun or exciting night. The photograph should convey more than just a product a person can purchase and might include a specific theme that’s used in photos for the other products the business sells as well. These are typically more complicated to create than commercial photographs, but a professional photographer can offer their own ideas to help create something that’s perfect.
If you’re looking for photographs to advertise your business or products, make sure you’re working with the right photographer. For simple photos to go on the website near the product description, a commercial photographer is going to be a good bet. They’ll make sure the products look great. If you’re looking for something to use in advertisements, it might be better to choose an Editorial Photographer who can help create a story to go with your products.