Commercial Photographer
Although some use these terms interchangeably, commercial photography and promotion photography are very different. A commercial photograph is used by retailers and wholesalers in their own shops or on sale pages for their products and is generally used in either an artistic style or a professional manner. A commercial photography company will produce professional-looking images to be used as marketing material. Sometimes these photographs are used by businesses themselves in order to promote their products, particularly during busy periods of the year when other forms of advertising are less effective.
The two categories of commercial photography
There are two main categories of commercial photography elements. One is stock photography, which can be used for any of these purposes. The other is bespoke photography, which usually refers to commissioned photography. Most of the stock images used by companies for promotional purposes are licensed from copyright holders. These are images that have been legally modified in order to pass off as being in the public domain.
Differences between commercial and advertising photography
An important distinction between these two types of photography is that commercial photography is strictly visual. It does not incorporate graphics or other kinds of design, so it cannot be considered as 'art'. In contrast, advertising photography involves the use of images in a commercial context and can include texts, logos and animations. The key difference between the two lies in the fact that commercial images are made to be read, whereas the purpose of advertising photography is to be used.
Conceptualisation is where a commercial photographer will take an image and interpret it in a manner that makes it relevant to the target client. For example, a clothing manufacturer might take an image of a model wearing a particular piece of clothing and then turn around and interpret this in a way that tells the story of the brand, the manufacturer, the type of materials used, the manufacturer's taste for design, the colour scheme and so forth.
This is very similar to what an advertising photographer would do - except that they are paid a fee for the job instead of being paid per ad/photo. Therefore, commercial photographers can earn more money from their work because there are lots of other parties involved here. It's not as simple as snapping a picture of something and then interpreting it within the context of a brand, a product or a commercial. It requires a whole set of skills and a wide-ranging approach to different subjects and different types of imagery. To know more about the best photographer click here.
Summing up
Some photographers make their living solely from their photography, but others have a portfolio full of work that they show to prospective buyers. The best photographers make their money by combining their photography with marketing - showing images to potential clients alongside words or a description of the services they offer. Many photographers also sell photographs with their clients in return for a percentage of any future sales.
