Commercial vs. Advertising Photography: The Differences
If your business sells physical products, you’ll do well to have those products photographed professionally to increase sales and brand engagement. As you consult with a professional photographer, they’ll likely ask you if you want commercial or advertising photography services.
What are the differences between the two? Which type of photography will most accurately serve your needs? Let’s look more closely at what commercial or advertising photography can do for your business.
Commercial Photography Defined
When a photographer performs a commercial shoot, they take photos of buildings, landscapes, or merchandise primarily for promotional purposes. The idea is to put the product or service front and center and showcase its essence. If you search for generic stock photos of a specific product, the photo in question is a commercial photograph.
Advertising Photography Defined
Meanwhile, an advertising photoshoot aims to capture the mood or vibe of the product to encourage customers to buy it. Photographers who shoot advertising product photography appeal to customers’ instincts and desires by telling a more stylized story. Photos that depict a product as innovative, trendy, or a “must-have” item are advertising photographs.
Photographic Intent
What are the ultimate goals of commercial and advertising photography? What is your goal as a business owner in having these photographs taken?
Commercial photographs are more objective; they display the product from a variety of angles under adequate lighting so that viewers can see what the product is. Advertising photography aims to close a sale by convincing the viewer that the product will improve their life in some way.
Styles and Techniques
Now that you know the basic differences between commercial and advertising photos, you can see from their styles how they differ.
Commercial photographs are more neutral in composition, as photographers use plenty of natural light and unfussy backgrounds to place the product front and center. Advertising photography, on the other hand, incorporates more artistic elements to tell a story. It places the product in a bold, action-packed context, coupling it with a trendy background to create an effective advertising photo.
Are you a business owner in search of high-quality product photography services? The photographers at Pryzma Studios have plenty of firsthand experience with both commercial and advertising photography. Use our guide to brush up on the differences between the two methods and choose an option that will help you achieve your sales goals.
