At the end of the day, my job as a commercial photographer is to sell a product. While photographing a campaign, a thought constantly repeats in the back of my mind and kinda goes like, “You are shooting a (insert product), that is the focus.” This mantra helps balance the struggle between creativity and capturing an image that will sell the product. Overall, the limitation in creating commercial photography is not an art director or creative freedom, the constraint is usually time and money.
What is the Constraint in Commercial Photography?
In commercial photography, time is money. Now, I understand “time is money” is an old adage that typically would not be combined with art, but in this case the statement is fitting. Why? You have a burn rate that goes beyond yourself. When I started out as a photographer, every shoot I did was myself and the talent. The cost of production was low, say a few hundred dollars. Now, six years later, the costs go beyond myself.
Telling a road trip story for a commercial photography automotive campaign. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
A set can range from 10-20 people, just to make one photograph. Which means you are paying 10-20 people for every day that you are photographing a commercial project. It’s time to break this down to understand a bit better. Let’s just say the average rate per person was a very modest $400 a day, for a low budget production. With 10 people on the set, that would translate to $4000 a day, just to pay the people. With 20 people, that would be $8,000 a day. This cost doesn’t include the pre-production work, production costs, nor the post-production costs.
The constraint in commercial photography comes down to time and money. If you had unlimited money, creatives could shoot until every possible idea was shot, or the crew got bored and left. Let’s be real, unlimited time does not exist.
So, where does this leave a photographer who is trying to balance being creative and capturing an image that will sell the product you are hired to shoot?
A simple photograph highlighting a beverage for a commercial photography beverage campaign. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Roles on a Commercial Set:
Photographer
Photo Assistant
Videographer
Video Assistant
Model(s)… I would say expect 3-5
Art Director
Producer
Digit-Tech
Hair and Make-Up
Stylist
Food Crew
Safety
This list is not complete, but gets you a pretty good idea of what roles exist on a commercial shoot.
Finding the Balance
The balance between being creative and getting a photograph to sell the product is tight. Being creative is great, it is fun, and it fills my cup, but an overly creative shot can confuse the viewer. Meanwhile, a product shot is often boring and a viewer will overlook the photograph. So, how do I overcome this balance?
I’ve found two ways to balance the desires of commercial work; tell a story and keep it simple.
A storytelling image showcasing the allure of traveling for a commercial photography travel campaign. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Tell a Story
First, telling a story around the product I am photographing can engage a viewer and showcase why they need to buy the product. More than just show the viewer who, what, where, when, and how the product works, telling a story around the product brings the viewer into the product and they can emotionally connect with they story. They might see themselves and think, “You know what, that would really help me out.” Or, “wow, I didn’t know that I could do “X” with “Y” product.” Which opens the door for the viewer to purchase the product.
A simple image showcasing a scenario of “how to use” the product for a commercial photography product campaign. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Keep it Simple
Simple is great, but simple is boring. At first, this is what I thought, but now I disagree. Simple does not have to be boring, but it should be straight to the point. A simple photograph should unlock the barriers between the viewer and the product. Giving the viewer of the photograph the understanding of why they need the product at a quick glance.
It’s My Job as a Commercial Photographer
If we all had endless time and money, yes, we could create anything, but that isn’t the case. Often working around budget and time constraints, it’s my job as a commercial photographer to deliver images, on time, and within the budget. Thankfully, this world is filled with rad products that are fun to photograph. Often, the products have a great story behind why they were built and the needs they were designed to overcome. Building a storyline around a product gets me excited and filled with joy as I build out a fun idea that can take me around the world. At times, products are boring from the outside, but it is my job, as a commercial photograph, to make it simple and convey a story. At the end of the day, my job as a commercial photographer is to sell a product.