What is Commercial Photography?
Commercial Photography is a photography genre used to sell or promote a business’s product/service. This type of photography is very broad. It refers to a few different types of photography, such as product, fashion, and food photography.
What Do Commercial Photographers Do?
Initially, commercial photographers work closely with their clients, consisting of marketing teams, agencies, etc., to understand their objectives and target audience.
The photographer then communicates these brand values through imagery – aka photography. They do this by setting up scenes, lighting, and much more to deliver the desired message.
Typically speaking, the workflow of commercial photographers looks like the following:
- Client Collaboration: Working closely with clients to understand their vision, goals, and target audience.
- Conceptualisation & Planning: Developing concepts for the photo shoot, considering the goals of the shoot and other factors like location, styling, composition, and lighting.
- Photography Equipment & Setup: Selecting and preparing the appropriate equipment for the shoot and setting it up.
- Directing and Shooting: Guiding models, actors, or subjects to achieve the desired outcome.
- Image Post-Processes: Editing and retouching images to improve the overall aesthetic.
- Final Product Delivery: Delivering the final product to the client.
Overall, the goal is to go from ideas or concepts from the client to real images in the most effective way possible.
Commercial Photography Examples
To better understand commercial photography, here are some commercial photography examples :
1. Product Photography
The most popular form of commercial photography is product photography. This type of photography is used to showcase a business’s products/services appealingly, typically emotionally highlighting their feature and benefits.
Product photography is also commonly referred to as advertising photography, as it’s mostly used for advertising. An example of this type of photography is our project with Laura Oils:
This project from Laura Oils aimed to showcase the natural ingredients and luxurious appeal of their hair products. We achieved this through a series of product photos, helping them boost their market presence and advertising campaign results.
2. Food Photography
Another type of commercial photography is food photography, which is used to capture the deliciousness of food. Usually, this type of photograph is used for a restaurant’s social media or advertising. However, it can also be used for menus, cookbooks, and food blogs.
In 2024, we were commissioned by Tokito Fast Food to deliver mouth-watering imagery of their food. The goal was to achieve imagery that represented the outdoor space of the fast food restaurant while showcasing their food.
We managed to achieve the goals set by Tokito Fast Food by strategically using lighting. This, alongside some positioning techniques, allowed us to visually showcase Tokito Fast Food’s outdoor space while promoting their food’s deliciousness.
3. Fashion Photography
As you can imagine, fashion photography is all about the fashion industry. This includes clothing and accessories, usually on models or in creative settings. These images can then be used for editorials, lookbooks, and advertising campaigns.
Recently, we helped Katerina Doicheva shoot some photos for her social media. These images aimed to showcase her stylish outfits and individuality, ensuring she stands out on social media.
We managed to achieve her goals by using natural and artificial lighting, allowing us to make her the centrepiece of the image. We also used vibrant props to increase feed visibility.
4. Advertising Photography
Another photography genre under the umbrella of commercial photography is advertising photography. This type of photography is designed to promote a product, service, or brand and is normally used as part of an advertising campaign.
In 2024, we helped Maskologist, a facemask company based in London, UK, produce photos for their marketing campaign. We supplied 40 advertising frames, which later were advertised to their target audience.
The goal of these photographs was to showcase the clean, sophisticated, and innovative nature of their facemasks. We achieved this by producing images that perfectly align with their brand identity through strategic photography and post-production editing.
5. Architectural Photography
Another form of commercial photography is architectural photography. The whole goal of this type of photography is to capture the beauty and design of buildings and spaces. These images can be used for real estate listings, architecture magazines, or just on a company’s website.
A while back, we performed architectural photography for the Knauf Iran Factory. The photos we produced were for the Kourosh Complex and needed to showcase the quality of the then-recently constructed building.
Over a series of photos, we were able to capture the quality construction and architectural design of the Kourosh Complex, which they later went on to showcase to their clients.
Benefits of Commerical Photography for Businesses
The benefits of commercial photography are astronomical. These benefits include but are not limited to the following:
Enhances Brand Image
One of the biggest benefits of businesses using professional commercial photography services is brand image enhancement.
A business image is one of the most important aspects of a business. Without a good brand image, potential clients are unable to convey a sense of quality and professionalism.
A good brand image, however, communicates to the viewer who you are, what you stand for, and the quality of your product/service. Alongside this, it makes your brand much more memorable and desirable.
The ROI on this is considerable. If a consumer sees a quality brand image, trusts it, and engages with it, it can have dramatic outcomes on the backend.
Increases Customer Engagement
Moving forward, commercial photography also increases customer engagement.
Simply put, visually appealing images are more likely to capture the attention and interest of a target customer.
As humans, we’re attracted to things that look good. Things of quality. We don’t like unprofessional, poorly created images that look like nobody poured any effort into them.
For this reason, creating quality assets like photographs boosts customer engagement. It puts your best face forward, ensuring your company is represented positively and professionally.
Builds Trust and Credibility
Alongside the above, professional commercial photography builds trust and credibility.
At the end of the day, if your images are professional and of high quality, so are your products or services. Simple as that.
It signals to your customers that you take them seriously. Showcasing your proudness for your product/service and target audience.
The after-effects of this are incredible. People buy from people, people that they can trust. As a result, professional commercial photography can boost sales and may even increase repeat business.
Boosts Sales and Conversions
On the topic of sales, commercial photography can boost them.
Put it this way: if you put two images of the same product/service side by side (one professional and one non-professional), nine times out of ten, customers will prefer the professional one.
With commercial photography, you don’t just get high-quality images. You get images that allow your customer to visualise your products, their features, and how it would fit into their lives.
This is the main difference. A non-professional image doesn’t consider the product’s overall feeling and representation. A professional image, however, transforms the viewer’s mind, allowing them to get emotionally attached.
Creates Marketing Assets
Lastly, commercial photographs are highly versatile assets and can be used across multiple marketing channels.
You can use these images for years to come. They’re not just a one-time thing. You can use them on a website, social media, print ads, brochures, billboards, and more.
Of course, sometimes you may have one-off images. However, if planned right, you can create marketing assets for years to come.
Commercial Photography Ideas
Now you know a lot more about commercial photography, let’s take a look at some different commercial photography ideas for businesses.
Lifestyle Product Shots
These types of images are when you show a product in a real-life setting. Typically, it includes capturing people enjoying the product or how they can benefit from it.
For the most part, they aim to develop a relatable and aspirational connection with the target audience. It helps them visualise the “What if” of the product, “What if I had this? How would it change my situation?”.
A good example of this is a lifestyle product shoot we did in 2014 for Poud Iran Towel. The goal here was to showcase the different family dressing gowns, showing the viewer how their family could look in these gowns.
As you can see, the image above visually shows the viewer how family-oriented and comfortable these gowns are. Other photos we did for them were also lifestyle-based, showcasing their different designs.
Flat Lays
These are style images with products arranged on a flat surface, often with complementary props to boost the visual appeal. Flat lays are particularly good product-focused images, as they make the product the centre point.
A good example of this is from Hype Energy Drink. We created a series of flat lay images which make Hype Energy Drink a centre point of the creative. However, as an added extra, we added a thrust-quenching glass of the drink, allowing viewers to see the hydrating powers of the product.
Though the energy drink is still the central image, the drink in the background demonstrates how delicious this drink really is. It makes the viewer almost taste the product through imagery.
Brand Storytelling
Brand storytelling images are all about conveying the brand’s story, values, and personality. The overall goal is to create a connection with the consumers by showcasing the people behind the brand, their passion, and their unique qualities.
These types of images come in all shapes and sizes. It could be more of an upbeat type of image of the workforce or just an everyday image of the employees working. Similar to what you see below from our shoot with Poolad Group.
The storytelling image above showcases the cleanliness and organisation of the brand Poolad Group, something that they take immense pride in. This image clearly showcases to the viewer exactly that, helping them showcase their brand’s culture through photos.
Behind-the-Scenes Shots
Behind-the-scenes shots can be taken in many different ways. It can either showcase a glimpse into the creative process or the people behind the brand.
The whole idea behind this type of shot is to provide transparency and authenticity. It shows consumers the effort and passion that goes into creating a product.
Back in 2019, we did just that with Sazeh Gostar Jam. This project aimed to showcase the people behind the brand, their processes, and their operations.
We did exactly that in the project, capturing the workmanship and professionalism behind Sazeh Gostar Jam’s processes. Now, the company can showcase this to their investors and customers so they have a better understanding of what they do and how they do it.
Environmental Portraits
Environmental portraits are also another commercial photography idea. These portraits capture people in their work environment or natural setting. Simply put, it showcases a human element behind the brand or product.
These images can be used anywhere. They can be used on websites, social media, and even in marketing materials. It humanises the brand, which is something that many consumers search for.
Back in 2017, we took some environmental portraits for Atra Karan Energy. The goal of this project was to showcase their operations in a natural way to boost a consumer-brand connection.
We manage to achieve this by taking photos of real people doing real things. It doesn’t get any more real than this. Employees working to give customers the experience they deserve.
Choosing the Right Commercial Photographer
After reading the above, you should have a much better understanding of what a commercial photographer does.
If you think this is the right type of photographer for your business, then you’ll want to choose the best option for you. You can do this by following the below guide:
1. Portfolio & Style
First, look at their portfolio and style. This gives you a good insight into their creative world and expertise.
As you browse their work, check for the following:
- Does their work resonate with your brand?
- Are their images technically sound?
- Can they adapt to different styles and project requirements?
You can ask yourself 100s of different questions. However, start with these to get a good understanding of whether their portfolio and style suit your needs.
2. Experience and Expertise
Beyond their portfolio, you should also check their experience and expertise. Experience should be the number of years they’ve been a photographer, and expertise should be analysed in their portfolio.
For expertise, take a look at how they approach photos. We always find the most professional commercial photographers are those who don’t only present their portfolio but also explain the strategy/story behind it.
3. Communication and Professionalism
You also want to look at their communication and professionalism. Though their expertise in photography is very important, you want to do business with someone who can communicate effectively and professionally.
The best way to get a good understanding of this is to contact them. Ask them a question, maybe get more information on their payment packages, and just see if they reply in an organised, punctual, and respectful manner.
4. Pricing and Packages
Lastly, look at their pricing and packages (if they have them). At the end of the day, you need to choose a commercial photographer that suits your budget.
However, in this industry, there are huge price differences depending on the level of expertise. Therefore, you need to consider this within your budget.
Alongside this, prioritise value. Choose a photographer whose work and experience align with your budget and goals. This way, you get the best value for money and the results you expect.
Average Commercial Photography Pricing
The average price of a commercial photographer ranges, but the average price is around 4,771 to 11,010 AED a day. Here’s a breakdown:
Photographer Level | Typical Day Rate (AED) | Notes |
New/Beginner | 3,670 – 4,587.50 | Often building a portfolio and gaining experience. May offer lower rates to attract clients. |
Established (No Agent) | 4,771 – 11,010 | Has a solid portfolio and client base but doesn’t have representation. Rates vary depending on reputation and specialisation. |
Established (With Agent) | 12,845 – 18,350+ | Well-known and in high demand. Agents negotiate rates and handle contracts. |
High-End/Celebrity | 36,700+ | Extremely experienced and sought-after. Often work with large brands and advertising agencies. Rates can vary significantly depending on the scope and complexity of the project. |
Need a Commercial Photographer?
If you need a commercial photographer in Dubai, feel free to contact our Masoud Raoufi Photography team.
Our team has 12 years of experience, has completed over 171 projects, and has a list of over 100 clients. With our knowledge and expertise, we can transform your concepts into visual realities.
For more information about how we can help, contact us today.
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