Commercial
How do I become a specialist Photographer, for example Fashion or Forensic?
There are many types of photographer from social (wedding or portrait photographers) to those with specialist markets such as fashion, medical, press, scientific or forensic.All of these roles share many common photographic and business skills, but then vary according to the particular area of specialism, which is usually driven by a strong personal interest in that subject area. Your portfolio, skills and knowledge need to demonstrate not just your general talent but also your understanding of the specialist subjects you are working with.
Hints & Tips
- Look at the work of photographers who are successful in that field already - what can you learn from them?
- Read books and magazines that feature the types of images you want to take.
- Enter competitions that are dedicated to that subject area, or have specialist categories.
- Try to gain work experience or a work shadowing opportunity alongside someone who is already established in that job.
- Find a photography club that has a special interest group you could join.
When you research job roles remember that there is always more to the job than working with the subject area you love and the particular technical/creative skills it requires. Consider the lifestyle and financial impact of the job too, for example what employment status you would have, what are the working hours and environment, and whether you need to travel.
Skills for specialist photography roles are usually learned through 'on the job' experience and sometimes further study once you have already gained initial qualifications in photography. If you are planning to take a vocational, degree or diploma course in photography, it is worth finding out what the opportunities are to specialise during the course but this is not essential - a good general grounding is most important in the early days.
Pack shot Photography
Define
source - http://packshotcreator.articlealley.com/what-is-packshot-photography-
1698683.html
Compared to traditional photography, packshot photography is one step ahead, especially for products in the sales and marketing sector. In this article, we shall analyze the difference between traditional photography and packshot photography, which one is better according to situations, how packshot photography has evolved and how it can be used today for companies to be more productive whilst saving costs.
Let us first of all analyze the meaning of traditional photography. Traditional photography can be devised in two categories; home use and businessuse. Home use is simply taking photos at will without actually caring for quality as simply the meaning attached to it is of importance. For example, taking the photos of a boy in front of his birthday cake does not require any specific setup in terms of make-up and lighting; simply aim and click.
Business photos are taken by professionals with the aim to create sales or to communicate. Sometimes a full set up is needed to create a background for the object or person. We will develop more on this later on.
On the other hand, packshot photography is a clever way of photographing. Packshot photography is the use of professional digital cameras in taking high definition or high quality photos of objects or persons placed within a special photo studio. The size of the digital photo studio differs as there can be several types of studios for small objects like rings, for large objects like luggage and for very large objects like a motorbike.
Traditional Photography versus Packshot Photography
In marketing and communication, both types of photography are important according to specific situations. For example, taking photos of a hotel for the creation of its website would require the use of traditional photography. In such case, packshot photography would be inappropriate. Let us consider the case of a supermarket product. Using packshot photography, one can easily produce uniform products photos on a white or black background very easily. This type of photography is very versatile compared to traditional photography. The photos obtained are ready-to-use and no editing concerning background removal is necessary. Hence, production time and costs are saved.
We can also consider the case of a fashion model needing to take photos at the top of a building for advertising purposes. If we relied solely on traditional photography, we would need to bring the total shooting equipments, the crew and setting up the lighting at the top of the building. This would cost the company tremendous loss of time and money.
However, with packshot photography, one can take the same photo of the model inside a digitalphotographic studio in the comfort of their office and then cut the model so as to superimpose it on another photo. Such a photo can be done in-house within minutes. Hence, with packshot photography, all types of photos can be easily created.
Evolution of packshot photography
Packshot photography has constantly been evolving throughout time. Now, there are packshot photo studios on the market which can be used to create amazing high quality photos and high definition photos of products. Moreover, these digital studios have uniform lighting conditions and white or black backgrounds can be chosen for photo creation. What is more interesting is the fact that there are some packshot studios that can create interactive animations within some clicks. There are the 360 degrees animation of products and the 3 dimensional animations of objects. Both animations and photos can be created very easily due to the intuitive interface of the digital studio. Hence, packshot photography has really evolved and has become indispensable today for better production of photos and animations.
Benefits of packshot studios
- Creation of high quality product photos within some clicks
- Your products become interactive with 3D animations and 360-degree animations
- High definition photos can be created by anyone with the intuitive interface
- Production can be done in-house thus saving time and money
- There are higher customer conversion rate due to appealing photos and animations
source - http://packshotcreator.articlealley.com/what-is-packshot-photography-
1698683.html
Compared to traditional photography, packshot photography is one step ahead, especially for products in the sales and marketing sector. In this article, we shall analyze the difference between traditional photography and packshot photography, which one is better according to situations, how packshot photography has evolved and how it can be used today for companies to be more productive whilst saving costs.
Let us first of all analyze the meaning of traditional photography. Traditional photography can be devised in two categories; home use and businessuse. Home use is simply taking photos at will without actually caring for quality as simply the meaning attached to it is of importance. For example, taking the photos of a boy in front of his birthday cake does not require any specific setup in terms of make-up and lighting; simply aim and click.
Business photos are taken by professionals with the aim to create sales or to communicate. Sometimes a full set up is needed to create a background for the object or person. We will develop more on this later on.
On the other hand, packshot photography is a clever way of photographing. Packshot photography is the use of professional digital cameras in taking high definition or high quality photos of objects or persons placed within a special photo studio. The size of the digital photo studio differs as there can be several types of studios for small objects like rings, for large objects like luggage and for very large objects like a motorbike.
Traditional Photography versus Packshot Photography
In marketing and communication, both types of photography are important according to specific situations. For example, taking photos of a hotel for the creation of its website would require the use of traditional photography. In such case, packshot photography would be inappropriate. Let us consider the case of a supermarket product. Using packshot photography, one can easily produce uniform products photos on a white or black background very easily. This type of photography is very versatile compared to traditional photography. The photos obtained are ready-to-use and no editing concerning background removal is necessary. Hence, production time and costs are saved.
We can also consider the case of a fashion model needing to take photos at the top of a building for advertising purposes. If we relied solely on traditional photography, we would need to bring the total shooting equipments, the crew and setting up the lighting at the top of the building. This would cost the company tremendous loss of time and money.
However, with packshot photography, one can take the same photo of the model inside a digitalphotographic studio in the comfort of their office and then cut the model so as to superimpose it on another photo. Such a photo can be done in-house within minutes. Hence, with packshot photography, all types of photos can be easily created.
Evolution of packshot photography
Packshot photography has constantly been evolving throughout time. Now, there are packshot photo studios on the market which can be used to create amazing high quality photos and high definition photos of products. Moreover, these digital studios have uniform lighting conditions and white or black backgrounds can be chosen for photo creation. What is more interesting is the fact that there are some packshot studios that can create interactive animations within some clicks. There are the 360 degrees animation of products and the 3 dimensional animations of objects. Both animations and photos can be created very easily due to the intuitive interface of the digital studio. Hence, packshot photography has really evolved and has become indispensable today for better production of photos and animations.
Benefits of packshot studios
- Creation of high quality product photos within some clicks
- Your products become interactive with 3D animations and 360-degree animations
- High definition photos can be created by anyone with the intuitive interface
- Production can be done in-house thus saving time and money
- There are higher customer conversion rate due to appealing photos and animations
Miscellaneous Packshot photography
website - packshotphotography.com
Whisky Bottles
p.s unlimited photography
The effect is achieved by freezing the action of a rapid moving subject, using either very fast shutter speeds or very fast flash lighting. “I tend to use flash, and particularly Broncolor Graphite A4 packs,” says photographer Dan Tobin Smith, who has shot freeze-motion images for brands such as Boag’s beer and Bacardi. “These flash packs can generate flash durations as short as 1/8000s, which is short enough to capture liquids moving very fast, certain stages of explosions, people running and jumping, and so on.”
You can also change the shutter in your camera to give your product maximum light, if it needs it. You could also try shooting some pictures in black and white, as that creates deeper light and shadows for your product.
First, get your lighting right: home lighting is not always right for a shoot, so bring in dramatic or colored lights for a better mood. Then, set the 'stage' for your product. Imagine a story where the product is being used: for example it would make no sense to shoot a chainsaw in the living room (unless you were using it as part of a complicated editorial shoot), so put things in their rightful place.
Illustrate the product by putting in flower arrangements, or other ornaments relevant to the product. If you are looking to take a refreshing and original shot of a product, try putting it in with items which are slightly incongruous, but not unattractive or with a negative impact upon the product itself: for example, if you are photographing a round object, surround it with square or triangular objects for contrast.
You could also do this on commercial fashion shoots: a background can become something to play with, rather than just a set-piece. Toy with your products, and you will get better photographs.
it is within my interest to research the following
Legal , moral and cultural restrictions within a specialism of photography
All of these roles share many common photographic and business skills, but then vary according to the particular area of specialism, which is usually driven by a strong personal interest in that subject area. Your portfolio, skills and knowledge need to demonstrate not just your general talent but also your understanding of the specialist subjects you are working with.
Hints & Tips
When you research job roles remember that there is always more to the job than working with the subject area you love and the particular technical/creative skills it requires. Consider the lifestyle and financial impact of the job too, for example what employment status you would have, what are the working hours and environment, and whether you need to travel.
Skills for specialist photography roles are usually learned through 'on the job' experience and sometimes further study once you have already gained initial qualifications in photography. If you are planning to take a vocational, degree or diploma course in photography, it is worth finding out what the opportunities are to specialise during the course but this is not essential - a good general grounding is most important in the early days.
Legal restrictions
When working with children it is important to have a crb check and insurance to cover yourself and the child.
It is worth remembering as well that if you were cautioned by the police for whatever reason - should it even have been a caution received as a minor - this too will show up on your CRB disclosure.
Criminal Records Bureau disclosures carry no time limit so if you apply for a vacancy and do not get it and then apply for another position you may be asked to provide a new CRB disclosure; this is done to provide one hundred per accuracy for the following reason; you may have been awaiting arrest or conviction for an offence at the time of your previous disclosure and these will not show up so employers will tend to ask for a new disclosure if there is a significant period of time has elapsed since the last one's issue
You cannot give children’s photographs any commercial use, unless you have a model release signed by the minor’s parents or legal guardians. This includes family snapshots and other portraits of the sort where the children figure is an important and recognizable subject in the picture.
Child pornography is a delicate and sensible problem in society. When dealing with photoshoots that require bathing scenes of children or similar situations that can be interpreted as child nudity, it’s better that you consult your lawyer first. There is a famous case in Arizona, where a normal family dropped some digital photos to be printed in local Wallmart. In that batch of more than a hundred photos, there were eight photographs that depicted the couple’s children fooling around naked in the tub. The clerk of the printing facility thought they were inappropriate and turned them over to the police. That was a beginning of a long legal battle for the couple to prove they were not child molesters.
This is a question we get asked almost on a daily basis! There is an easy way to tell, if you accept any money, including expenses, for any work you undertake or have undertaken then you really should have Public Liability cover. As we often advise clients, the only photographer that doesn’t need it is the photographer that can afford to lose their home so unless you fit into this small minority then you should consider this important insurance before you step out of your house.
Public Liability, or PL as it is known, covers your liability for any damage you may due to another person, or property, accidentally whilst undertaking work. This could be a simple accident such as someone falling over a tripod to being “bumped” with a long lens right through to more serious issues that could leave people scarred or disabled for life.
How bad can it get if I don’t have any PL cover?
The short answer is very bad. I believe there was a case not so long ago that demonstrated this, where a photographer was undertaking work for a Local Authority – luckily he had £5 million PL cover. As he was taking pictures of the mayor shaking hands at a Civic ceremony, he stepped back and knocked an old lady who was behind him on the pavement. She wobbled and fell, hitting her head on the corner of the paving stone separating the pavement and road. The accident left her severely brain damaged and she required constant care 24 hours a day as she was unable to look after herself. The photographer was taken to court and the family won £3.1 million in damages to ensure her care for the remainder of her life. This was a case in the UK !
Courts take a dim view of some accidents now, and with the growth of the “where there is blame there is a claim” culture, it is very important that you arrange suitable cover.
Whilst these things do happen, it should be pointed out that an incident like this is very rare, in reality you have probably better odds winning the lottery but they do happen and therefore it is important that you are covered when your numbers come up…
Surely, I can get away without it?
Still not convinced? The other thing PL covers is 3rd party property damage. This would cover you if you damaged someone else’s property whilst conducting some photographic work. For example, you could lean against a wall and knock part of it over with your weight as you are taking the picture! The fact that the wall was not “secure” enough is no protection in law. You would be responsible for the repair to it – after all, the property owner would argue that the wall was fine before you leaned on it! A simple accident like this could cost in the region of a £1,000 – something you wouldn’t want to have to find as a photographer! Or, a more common claim, would be knocking over something in a client’s house whilst you were there on business. Unlike other parts of PL cover, there is traditionally a £250 excess for 3rd party property damage, so it is worth remembering to try and be as careful as you can when your dealing with others!
Can’t I buy PL insurance anywhere?
Well yes, but not if you want to be properly covered! A number of High Street insurance brokers will charge you £60 - £100 for this cover but the most common carrier usually won’t cover you whilst your in someone’s home and a number of the other Insurers just don’t understand anything about photography! Always, always, buy this cover from a reputable specialist Photography Insurance Company – after all, the only time you’ll find out that your not covered properly is when you make a claim and then it is too late!
What level of cover do I need?
Packages are available offering £1 million, £2 million and £5 million PL cover. If you are working in hotels, restaurants, for a Local Authority or in a shopping centre then the chances are you will be asked for the £5 million option. As with anything, the more cover you require the more expensive it becomes, but £2 million seems to be a popular starting point and you can always extend to £5 million for short term cover!
If you undertake work in airports, in the air, underwater or on the ground by the side of rails or track side at motor events then you will need the high limit and expect to pay slightly more as Insurers regard these activities as a greater risk.
What is the difference between Public Liability and Professional Indemnity?
PL cover is for damage to another person or their property whilst Professional Indemnity or PI as it is known, covers your liability for failing to produce work to a professional standard. Professional Indemnity Insurance provides you with financial protection for your business, the costs of defending claims made against you, including damages that may become payable. Claims can occur where a client or other person suffers financial loss as a result of alleged errors or omissions on your part.
PI cover is a MUST for one off events like weddings, where you have been booked to provide photographs, but is unlikely to be needed at events where you would “sell” photographs afterwards to make money – after all, if you don’t get the shot that is wanted you won’t sell any pictures!
Will I always need PL & PI Insurance together?
No. As I mentioned, if you are doing one off events on a commission, then it is important that you are covered. ( Always try in the case of weddings to get the Bride & Groom to cover themselves with wedding insurance too! ) If for example, you are a landscape photographer or deal solely in Portraits, if anything was to happen you could go back and take the pictures again. This is unlikely to be the case at a wedding!
How would having Professional Indemnity Insurance help me?
You may be sued unfairly by a client who is merely dissatisfied, but has no valid claim. This would involve you in substantial legal costs and non-productive time. From the legal standpoint, the position with regard to the "duty of care" is the same for any professional. If you offer a service in a specific area or set yourself up as a specialist, you owe a "duty of care" to anybody who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that owed by the ordinary man in the street.
What is a good example of a PI claim?
A good example of where PI would be useful is if you were to undertake wedding photography and the bride and groom felt the pictures you produced were substandard or you were unable to produce them as the film had been lost or stolen or the data card wiped. They may then choose to issue legal proceedings against you. If this was the case, PI insurance would cover the costs of defending and/or settling the claim.
What should I do next?
Always make sure that the cover you have in force is suitable. If you have bought PL cover from a High Street broker, write to them and make sure that it will cover you for the work you do. Never accept their word over the phone – if they won’t put it in writing to you, even by email, then you have No proof that you are covered.
I have decided to go with the idea of using two different aged models ( around 8months and 11years old) to show the diverse range of clothing , and to make it look as though the two models are the same child but at different ages and have shopped from next from being born.
Scamps
Contacts - Eve
next edits
Original
Next layouts
To make the images look more like an advert I have decided to make some of them into layouts ( triptics) here are some next examples followed by my own
Popatu Commercial
modeling popatu clothing
I have researched popatu clothing and found that it is a dance wear for children, the photographs in the website are very plain and basic so i wanted to create more of a feminine and boutique type of commercial image which would match the product shots , here are some examples of popatu clothing commercial images off there website and others follwed by my own original images and edits.
Chosen image
Originals - olivia 8months
Orignal image and enhanced by adjusting the brightness of the image , using the define tool on the eyes and the vibrancy tool all on aperture.
Final chosen images
Lighting used and setup
For all of these photo-shoots I used my home studio , I used two 150w interfit lights with a a soft-box modifier and an umbrella to get even lighting, I i was to purchase another soft box the lighting would of been even more even and created no shadows.
Product shot texts - handmade infant headbands
I have decided to photograph some of my infant headbands as some tests with lighting , postionsing and use of backgrounds and materials using my sb900 flashgun.
Report
After researching commercial images from my own specialism of photography, I found adverts from maternity clothing to baby wipes and nappies. Initially I thought that the likes of a nappy adverts would be boring and predictable but once I did my research and thought of ways of making a nappy advert more creative and aesthetically pleasing to a customer, I decided upon doing an advert with a newborn. The photo shoot didn’t go as well as I had planned it could have been improved with the use of more backdrops to make the image look like it was more in a room Due to the unsuccessful photo shoot and the outcome and the images I decided not to take this idea any further.
I initially liked the idea of creating a next advert photographing a child from a young age to and older age to show that they can shop in next from being young to adult. I feel that both photo shoots were successful and I managed to get a variety of images from each one. The only thing I would of done differently was to make the images more similar with what the model was wearing.
As my specialism in photography is maternity and babies I wanted to do a maternity clothing range advert for mamas and papas. My idea was to show that maternity clothing doesn’t have to be frumpy and boring and to photograph a pregnant women looking glamorous and glowing. At first glance of the images I felt happy with the outcome but after reviewing several images I feel that the lighting could have been improved in order to make the images more clean looking.
Overall Strengths and Weaknesses
After reviewing my images from the originals to the final edits on aperture and adobe Photoshop cs5 I have recognized some of my weaknesses and strengths whilst doing this brief. I have noticed that my improvements fall within the lighting category; I feel I have failed to use the correct lighting for a commercial image as on some images there are unwanted shadows. I have acknowledged that my strengths have been the set build within an image ,I have used extra props and materials and thought about how they would effect the image and the product within it. I have also experimented with several different models in each photo shoot and the focal lengths. word count - 550
p.s unlimited photography
Mauro Risch
Handbags
Packshot images of Deni Deni Hangbag
In order to get the correct images I used the studio twice , the first time was more of a practice run for the second finalised shoot. I choose from all the images and made a final 8 images in which i then narrowed down to six to print and then four to present as my final images.
Here is the lighting setup for these images
Here I decided to experiment with different lighting by using a honeycomb modifier at the side of the bag and a snoot lit underneath the bag. I later realised that this wasn't the correct lighting for the fresh and clean pack shot image of a handbag and created more of a creative commercial image.
top 8 chosen images - edited before and after shots
Feedback from tutors
-Reflections in the clasp from my hair
- rather than doing different angles I have just moved the bag around rather than the camera
-clasp wasn't in focus
-clasp wasn't even
Evaluation of images
After reviewing and refining my original images I noticed several mistakes i had made when photographing the bag, I did two photo-shoots with the bag and was limited with time the first one.The second one I tried different lighting but eventually stuck to the one original lighting setup.If I was to re-shoot these images I would concentrate on getting the technical qualities right rather than trying to make the bag look 'nice' . I have focused more on the decorative qualities of the bag and things such as the focus on the clasp and reflections have made my images lack as a pack-shot image.
Creative Advertisement
Miscellaneous
Robert Tardio
Rick Wahistrom
sedek islik
Watches
Max Schedel
Chico Audi
Jang and Kev - time after time
please note the watches change in each shot
won - International Photography Awards - Honorable mention 2010
Dirk Fellenberg - eels
Seagram Pearce - casio
Vincent skoglund
Vincent Skoglund captured this high-velocity image for Nixon Watches' 2009 Autumn/Winter ad campaign. Image © Vincent Skoglund.
Read more: http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/feature/2072014/velocity-freeze-motion-photography-advertising#ixzz1a0dHFp00
Read more: http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/feature/2072014/velocity-freeze-motion-photography-advertising#ixzz1a0dHFp00
Freeze-motion imagery is back on trend in the advertising world, reports Eliza Williams, who speaks to the creatives injecting explosive energy into still life photography.
All ads aim to grab your attention but, in our over-saturated media environment, it’s increasingly difficult to achieve, especially for humble print or poster ads. Brands need simple but striking imagery to stand out from the crowd and currently many advertisers and agencies are going for freeze-motion photography. Breathing life into what could otherwise be rather dry and ordinary product shots, it’s particularly popular with perfumes and drinks but has also been used by brands specialising in watches, sportswear and luggage, among many others. Its appeal is simple – it allows the brand to put its logo front-and-centre, but it also lends the products excitement.
All ads aim to grab your attention but, in our over-saturated media environment, it’s increasingly difficult to achieve, especially for humble print or poster ads. Brands need simple but striking imagery to stand out from the crowd and currently many advertisers and agencies are going for freeze-motion photography. Breathing life into what could otherwise be rather dry and ordinary product shots, it’s particularly popular with perfumes and drinks but has also been used by brands specialising in watches, sportswear and luggage, among many others. Its appeal is simple – it allows the brand to put its logo front-and-centre, but it also lends the products excitement.
The effect is achieved by freezing the action of a rapid moving subject, using either very fast shutter speeds or very fast flash lighting. “I tend to use flash, and particularly Broncolor Graphite A4 packs,” says photographer Dan Tobin Smith, who has shot freeze-motion images for brands such as Boag’s beer and Bacardi. “These flash packs can generate flash durations as short as 1/8000s, which is short enough to capture liquids moving very fast, certain stages of explosions, people running and jumping, and so on.”
Tobin Smith’s images for a Boag’s Brewery campaign featured dramatic explosions caught mid-blast. “When the action happens really quickly, you need to use triggers to catch movement that is too fast to see and respond to,” he continues. “The Boag’s Brewery shoot used a rig of high-explosive detonation cord and yeast powder. We used a sound trigger on a stand near the explosion and that went to a delay unit in which we used varying delays in thousandths and millionths of a second to get different sizes and styles of explosions. The special-effects guys use high-speed video cameras to analyse experiments before the shoots, which helps us fine-tune the delays and the types of charges before we start.”
Whisky
Chris bailey - whisky glasses
Terry heffernan
Handbags
Monica Stevenson -mcqueen
LazyAnt is an alliance of two young Russian photographers – Kirill Smyslov and Nastya Kazakova
Adrian Lander
Panaodol Handbags
Seagram Pearce
Gisel Florez
Stan musliek - hell
Tips on how to photograph and light a handbag ( from forums and websites)
From forum - http://photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum
If I can get this to work... here's a sample of a handbag shot on white seamless paper with a medium sized softbox overhead as the key light. There's a set of louvers over the softbox to make the light more directional so it produces that gradient background. This was made three years ago, so I don't recall whether I used additional lights or reflectors for fill from the sides.
Room lighting in commercial photography video
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Tips for Improving Commercial Photography - http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/becoming-a-professional-photographer/3-tips-for-improving-commercial-photography.html#b
Commercial photography shots should generally look a great deal more styled and polished than amateur or casual shots. If you are trying to break into the world of commercial photography, there are a number of things that you can do to improve your skills and accuracy. Taking the time to learn new ways to shoot commercial photographs is an investment in your future as a commercial photographer.Tip 1 - Look to the Light
The correct kind of lighting is vital to commercial photography. Lighting can make a product look wonderful, or it can create hideous shadows and reflections that turn your commercial shoot into a nightmare. Commercial photography professionals utilize specialist lighting to get the best out of a shot, bringing the product into the foreground and giving it a crystal-clear focus. Use strobe lighting to give a product depth when shooting long-range photographs, as these can give a flat product a dramatic three-dimensional effect, and use lighting boxes below the product for closer work.You can also change the shutter in your camera to give your product maximum light, if it needs it. You could also try shooting some pictures in black and white, as that creates deeper light and shadows for your product.
Tip 2 - Get in the Mood
The best commercial photography professionals use more than a white background to give the product an attractive quality. Sometimes, the minimalist method of shooting is not the best. Creating the right kind of atmosphere for a product is part of your role as a commercial photographer.First, get your lighting right: home lighting is not always right for a shoot, so bring in dramatic or colored lights for a better mood. Then, set the 'stage' for your product. Imagine a story where the product is being used: for example it would make no sense to shoot a chainsaw in the living room (unless you were using it as part of a complicated editorial shoot), so put things in their rightful place.
Illustrate the product by putting in flower arrangements, or other ornaments relevant to the product. If you are looking to take a refreshing and original shot of a product, try putting it in with items which are slightly incongruous, but not unattractive or with a negative impact upon the product itself: for example, if you are photographing a round object, surround it with square or triangular objects for contrast.
Tip 3 - Use Different Angles
In commercial photography, it is fairly rare for a product to be photographed straight-on. Instead, try photographing the product from different angles. For a refreshing take upon a kettle, for example, go in very close, and then take a picture with the kettle in only 50 percent of the shot. Try photographing flat objects from the side, or tall objects from below. When you change the eyeline of a product, you change the appearance of the product, making things which are everyday seem new and exciting.You could also do this on commercial fashion shoots: a background can become something to play with, rather than just a set-piece. Toy with your products, and you will get better photographs.
Creative commerical image
Scamps
Scamp
Preliminary design or layout of an advertisement or other promotional material.
Examples
Our scamp for Deni Deni Bag
chosen images edited
Feedback from peers from above chosen image
- could see more in the bag , feels thrown down
- wrong position,poor focus , good setting
-great except bag wrong way
-bag could do with being more open other than that i like this shot.
-Items are too placed , not so good colours , well positioned
- slightly out of focus and bag is the wrong way, good background
-well presented,sharp and goes well with subject
-doesn't follow scamp and bag being open contents spilling out
-background best,bag wrong way round and not open enough
-bag looks slightly out of focus and bag needs to be more open
-more focus on the bag and the items are too organised
-bag out of focus but best setting
-most elegant setting , eyes are drawn to the bag, bag has fingers
After reading these comments I agreed with all of them, I didn't take enough notice of the scamp which is the most important thing in a commercial brief. I propose to re-shoot the bag in either the same place or a different place and take note of the mistakes I have made.
Specialism
within photography Research
it is within my interest to research the following
Legal , moral and cultural restrictions within a specialism of photography
How do I become a specialist Photographer, for example Fashion or Forensic?
There are many types of photographer from social (wedding or portrait photographers) to those with specialist markets such as fashion, medical, press, scientific or forensic.All of these roles share many common photographic and business skills, but then vary according to the particular area of specialism, which is usually driven by a strong personal interest in that subject area. Your portfolio, skills and knowledge need to demonstrate not just your general talent but also your understanding of the specialist subjects you are working with.
Hints & Tips
- Look at the work of photographers who are successful in that field already - what can you learn from them?
- Read books and magazines that feature the types of images you want to take.
- Enter competitions that are dedicated to that subject area, or have specialist categories.
- Try to gain work experience or a work shadowing opportunity alongside someone who is already established in that job.
- Find a photography club that has a special interest group you could join.
When you research job roles remember that there is always more to the job than working with the subject area you love and the particular technical/creative skills it requires. Consider the lifestyle and financial impact of the job too, for example what employment status you would have, what are the working hours and environment, and whether you need to travel.
Skills for specialist photography roles are usually learned through 'on the job' experience and sometimes further study once you have already gained initial qualifications in photography. If you are planning to take a vocational, degree or diploma course in photography, it is worth finding out what the opportunities are to specialise during the course but this is not essential - a good general grounding is most important in the early days.
When working with children it is important to have a crb check and insurance to cover yourself and the child.
- Model Release Agreement – This is a contract that is obtained from a person whose face is recognizable in the photograph that will be displayed publicly or used commercially. Below is an example of a simple model release agreement that is suggested by the PPA or Professional Photographers of America.
CRB CHECKS
CRB Checks are carried out - and must be carried out - for anyone who wishes to work with children, the elderly or individuals who might otherwise be classed as vulnerable.
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is able to provide information about an individual as to whether or not he or she has a criminal conviction or has been charged with a criminal conviction which has expired.
This information is gathered from a number of sources and collated by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) who will provide the applicant with what is known as a 'disclosure'.
This disclosure - as we have already mentioned - enables a prospective employer be they a school, residential or children's home or any institution where children, the elderly or vulnerable people reside, to decide for themselves if an applicant is suitable for employment.
Given recent upturns in certain crimes against the self; assault, sexual assault, child abuse etc, the demand for Criminal Records Bureau disclosures have increased dramatically.
When applying for a job the employer may well pay the cost of acquiring this disclosure or you may be asked yourself to pay for it and will be reimbursed if you are successful in your application for a job.
- Basic Disclosure
- Enhanced Disclosure
Basic Disclosure
A basic disclosure is just that; it gives the relevant information about an individual and whether they have any spent convictions. A spent conviction is a conviction that is no longer held as a matter of importance. These convictions - depending on the severity of them - should have been wiped from your file after ten years. Information also included is date of birth, nationality, address etc.Enhanced Disclosure
An enhanced disclosure will show everything relating to arrests and convictions and any other information that the police or other law enforcement agencies may hold in relation to you.It is worth mentioning that if you are being employed as a nanny, au pair or childminder by a private citizen that they have no legal obligation to approach the Criminal Records Bureau for a disclosure. If you are to be employed or are applying for positions where you will be answerable to a private citizen then it is your responsibility to provide them with an up to date CRB disclosure.
If however you are being employed by a government body or large organisation then they are responsible for seeking this disclosure - after having informed you of their intent to do so - and may under law seek to gain an enhanced disclosure which will detail all offences, charges or arrests leveled against you spent or otherwise.It is worth remembering as well that if you were cautioned by the police for whatever reason - should it even have been a caution received as a minor - this too will show up on your CRB disclosure.
Criminal Records Bureau disclosures carry no time limit so if you apply for a vacancy and do not get it and then apply for another position you may be asked to provide a new CRB disclosure; this is done to provide one hundred per accuracy for the following reason; you may have been awaiting arrest or conviction for an offence at the time of your previous disclosure and these will not show up so employers will tend to ask for a new disclosure if there is a significant period of time has elapsed since the last one's issue
Can I photograph children?
Yes you can take pictures of children without their parents permission, but as long as you are not invading the child’s privacy. And as long as your photos are for private use only.You cannot give children’s photographs any commercial use, unless you have a model release signed by the minor’s parents or legal guardians. This includes family snapshots and other portraits of the sort where the children figure is an important and recognizable subject in the picture.
Child pornography is a delicate and sensible problem in society. When dealing with photoshoots that require bathing scenes of children or similar situations that can be interpreted as child nudity, it’s better that you consult your lawyer first. There is a famous case in Arizona, where a normal family dropped some digital photos to be printed in local Wallmart. In that batch of more than a hundred photos, there were eight photographs that depicted the couple’s children fooling around naked in the tub. The clerk of the printing facility thought they were inappropriate and turned them over to the police. That was a beginning of a long legal battle for the couple to prove they were not child molesters.
Why, as a photographer, are Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurances important to me?
Do I need Public Liability Insurance?This is a question we get asked almost on a daily basis! There is an easy way to tell, if you accept any money, including expenses, for any work you undertake or have undertaken then you really should have Public Liability cover. As we often advise clients, the only photographer that doesn’t need it is the photographer that can afford to lose their home so unless you fit into this small minority then you should consider this important insurance before you step out of your house.
Public Liability, or PL as it is known, covers your liability for any damage you may due to another person, or property, accidentally whilst undertaking work. This could be a simple accident such as someone falling over a tripod to being “bumped” with a long lens right through to more serious issues that could leave people scarred or disabled for life.
How bad can it get if I don’t have any PL cover?
The short answer is very bad. I believe there was a case not so long ago that demonstrated this, where a photographer was undertaking work for a Local Authority – luckily he had £5 million PL cover. As he was taking pictures of the mayor shaking hands at a Civic ceremony, he stepped back and knocked an old lady who was behind him on the pavement. She wobbled and fell, hitting her head on the corner of the paving stone separating the pavement and road. The accident left her severely brain damaged and she required constant care 24 hours a day as she was unable to look after herself. The photographer was taken to court and the family won £3.1 million in damages to ensure her care for the remainder of her life. This was a case in the UK !
Courts take a dim view of some accidents now, and with the growth of the “where there is blame there is a claim” culture, it is very important that you arrange suitable cover.
Whilst these things do happen, it should be pointed out that an incident like this is very rare, in reality you have probably better odds winning the lottery but they do happen and therefore it is important that you are covered when your numbers come up…
Surely, I can get away without it?
Still not convinced? The other thing PL covers is 3rd party property damage. This would cover you if you damaged someone else’s property whilst conducting some photographic work. For example, you could lean against a wall and knock part of it over with your weight as you are taking the picture! The fact that the wall was not “secure” enough is no protection in law. You would be responsible for the repair to it – after all, the property owner would argue that the wall was fine before you leaned on it! A simple accident like this could cost in the region of a £1,000 – something you wouldn’t want to have to find as a photographer! Or, a more common claim, would be knocking over something in a client’s house whilst you were there on business. Unlike other parts of PL cover, there is traditionally a £250 excess for 3rd party property damage, so it is worth remembering to try and be as careful as you can when your dealing with others!
Can’t I buy PL insurance anywhere?
Well yes, but not if you want to be properly covered! A number of High Street insurance brokers will charge you £60 - £100 for this cover but the most common carrier usually won’t cover you whilst your in someone’s home and a number of the other Insurers just don’t understand anything about photography! Always, always, buy this cover from a reputable specialist Photography Insurance Company – after all, the only time you’ll find out that your not covered properly is when you make a claim and then it is too late!
What level of cover do I need?
Packages are available offering £1 million, £2 million and £5 million PL cover. If you are working in hotels, restaurants, for a Local Authority or in a shopping centre then the chances are you will be asked for the £5 million option. As with anything, the more cover you require the more expensive it becomes, but £2 million seems to be a popular starting point and you can always extend to £5 million for short term cover!
If you undertake work in airports, in the air, underwater or on the ground by the side of rails or track side at motor events then you will need the high limit and expect to pay slightly more as Insurers regard these activities as a greater risk.
What is the difference between Public Liability and Professional Indemnity?
PL cover is for damage to another person or their property whilst Professional Indemnity or PI as it is known, covers your liability for failing to produce work to a professional standard. Professional Indemnity Insurance provides you with financial protection for your business, the costs of defending claims made against you, including damages that may become payable. Claims can occur where a client or other person suffers financial loss as a result of alleged errors or omissions on your part.
PI cover is a MUST for one off events like weddings, where you have been booked to provide photographs, but is unlikely to be needed at events where you would “sell” photographs afterwards to make money – after all, if you don’t get the shot that is wanted you won’t sell any pictures!
Will I always need PL & PI Insurance together?
No. As I mentioned, if you are doing one off events on a commission, then it is important that you are covered. ( Always try in the case of weddings to get the Bride & Groom to cover themselves with wedding insurance too! ) If for example, you are a landscape photographer or deal solely in Portraits, if anything was to happen you could go back and take the pictures again. This is unlikely to be the case at a wedding!
How would having Professional Indemnity Insurance help me?
You may be sued unfairly by a client who is merely dissatisfied, but has no valid claim. This would involve you in substantial legal costs and non-productive time. From the legal standpoint, the position with regard to the "duty of care" is the same for any professional. If you offer a service in a specific area or set yourself up as a specialist, you owe a "duty of care" to anybody who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that owed by the ordinary man in the street.
What is a good example of a PI claim?
A good example of where PI would be useful is if you were to undertake wedding photography and the bride and groom felt the pictures you produced were substandard or you were unable to produce them as the film had been lost or stolen or the data card wiped. They may then choose to issue legal proceedings against you. If this was the case, PI insurance would cover the costs of defending and/or settling the claim.
What should I do next?
Always make sure that the cover you have in force is suitable. If you have bought PL cover from a High Street broker, write to them and make sure that it will cover you for the work you do. Never accept their word over the phone – if they won’t put it in writing to you, even by email, then you have No proof that you are covered.
- Always use a reputable Insurer. If the company that you are with do not offer PL or PI cover, then the chances are they are not designed for the professional market. There are a couple of well known insurance companies that actively advertise photographic insurance but do not offer PI cover – don’t use them if you are a wedding photographer – they don’t offer the cover that is right for you.
- Try and always support your Association. They go to great lengths to find a reputable company for you to use, plus, if you are unhappy with the service the company offers you can always complain to the Association – they may have more sway on your behalf!
- Never, never, leave the house, or invite clients around without PL cover if you are earning money from photography. The risks are too great!
http://www.visit4ads.com/brand/Johnsons-Baby-Range/2122
focus is more on the bag than the subjects as it is the product being advertised. could be more of a creative ad but it fits the style of the brand.
clean and crisp shot it shows that it is meant to and a colour scheme has been identified within the advert.
I liked the scale of the product in this advert , it makes the importance of the product stand out , the wipes in the background make the image a more creative and fun advert.
These adverts from Huggies are the most simplistic adverts yet have a strong message
that follows throughout the advert campaign. I would like to do something more on this level where it is carried on and different children are used.
I like the idea of doing an advert to encourage pregnant women to wear what they want (within reason) and not be judged because of their pregnancy.
Ideas for commercial
Maternity clothing range
breastfeeding clothing range
childrens clothing range
baby clothing range
Nappies
Baby milk
bedding
shampoo
soap
Baby food
Baby furniture
I have decided to further the idea of Nappies , maternity clothing and baby clothing for the time being. I have come up with the idea of using a fairytale/nursery rhyme theme for Huggies/Boots/Pampers/ Nappies I am going to research into all these brands to see which brand my style photographs will fit.
Pampers Nappies
I like the idea of photographing different babies and there emotions , I have learnt from recent experience that all babies are so different from one another with there personalities and temperaments it would be interesting to do something similar with different age groups maybe.
Huggies
These adverts are more graphics based than the others , The simplistic layout makes it easier on the eye for a customer especially a customer who is a busy mum who may not have time to stop and look ,a quick glance is all that is needed with this advert in order to take in what its advertising , very well done for its target audience.
This again is very simplistic and natural there is no posing involved at all. The focus is on the child and the product being advertised with the women being blurred in the background, very simple guidelines to which we was given at the start of the brief with the bag.
Huggies nappy advert
Use large nappies and pile them up like so:
http://the-gingerbread-house.co.uk/2011/04/07/tales-of-poo/
theme - prince and the pea /princess and the pea
pile up nappies and place a pea underneath the nappies in the theme of the princess and the pea with slogan 'huggies still just as comforting' the message is that the pea is underneath the nappies but the baby is still comforted.
It was also a possibility to shoot a christmas theme one as-well as a normal one.
practice images with flashgun
This was just a test shot idea in which the caption would be something to do with the nappies being just as important as putting you shoes on in the morning etc.
Scamp
This shoot didn't go as planned , the baby was 4 weeks old and it was hard to position on the nappies , it was within my interest to do several re-shoots with different newborns but after reviewing the images and the idea I decided against it as I didn't feel the type of image fit within the nappy companies, the photos didn't look commercial and wernt at all similar style to the huggies or pampers adverts id researched. I have decided to further develop my other ideas rather than waste time on one that doesn't work within the commercial industry.
Baby/children clothing range for Next
My idea for the clothing range advert is to show that a certain brand can be used throughout a childhood and the slogan would be ' clothing that grows up with you' rather than saying 'I grew up with this clothing range' it also give the advert a more personal feel to it. I will research into baby/children clothing ranges to get more of an idea which brand will suit this advert. I am going to research into more studio images from next as that is what I am aiming to achieve rather than the location lifestyle images.
Next examples
I have decided to go with the idea of using two different aged models ( around 8months and 11years old) to show the diverse range of clothing , and to make it look as though the two models are the same child but at different ages and have shopped from next from being born.
Contacts - christening gown advert from next
Chosen images ( originals and enhanced images)
use the define tool on the eyes and hair
final enhanced image
I have done simular to each image to enhance the image slightly
By adjusting the colour balance the image now has a warmer tone to it.
Scamps
Contacts - Eve
next edits
Original
Enhanced version ( brightened and skin smoothed)
Chosen images with logo
Next layouts
To make the images look more like an advert I have decided to make some of them into layouts ( triptics) here are some next examples followed by my own
Chosen images in the pink party dress
Final chosen images
Red outfit originals and enhanced images
Chosen edits with Logo
Maternity clothing range
The idea I have for the maternity clothing range was to show that pregnancy shouldn't be hidden away and should be flaunted through fashion and to show that women can still be attractive and sexy when pregnant, I would also like to do a few different range of clothing and do a winter range etc. I would like to photograph the model in studio and out of studio for different styles of images. the in studio ones will be more like pack-shot images and less creative.
Mamas and pappas advert
My images
Pack shot images (edited)
Packshot images taken through photoshop to lighten the backdrop
Chosen Original images and enhanced
Evaluation of the images and overall
photo-shoot experience
I had never worked with this model before and initially found it hard to communicate with the model as she was shy at first once I had boosted her confidence I saw her feel more comfortable with me and the camera. To get the models hair to look floaty and out of the models face I brought in a fan , the model didn't work well with this at first as she complained of the chill she got from it but once she had got used to it worked well and have continued to use it within other photo-shoots. I used both black and white backdrops to try and create a different mood with different outfits , I provided the model with some of the clothing and the model provided basics such as t-shirts. It was within my interest to shoot some images outdoors on location , I wanted them to be winter themed and hoped for snow but as none has officially stuck I failed to do this. If I had managed my time more successfully I would of aimed to get more location shots with my model and also experiment with other pregnant models.
This image was one that was used on the poppatu website.I found the website gave me false hope as the front page was very feminine and was aimed towards a younger audience with cartoon characters and cartoon image of the dresses, and then once I went on to the shopping page I found the images lacked creativeness and didn't appeal to the same market.
Here is a screenshot of the front page of the website.
These are 'packshot' images of popatu clothing i like the way they are presented hung up neatly on a hanger but i would like to take this idea and develop it further and make it more creative , I want to still show the detail in the dresses with more of a creative input. I will use different materials and props to make the image more interesting and appealing to customers of a young age and to mothers.
This is the image that I feel appeals to a younger audience more as its featuring a young girl actually dancing in the clothing range , it has been simply done but is very effective. the colours all suit one another and are soft warm and welcoming.
This is also more appealing to a 'dancer' as its been shot in a dance studio , once again very simple use 0f set and colours but very effective.
Scamp
Chosen photos
modeling popatu clothing
I have researched popatu clothing and found that it is a dance wear for children, the photographs in the website are very plain and basic so i wanted to create more of a feminine and boutique type of commercial image which would match the product shots , here are some examples of popatu clothing commercial images off there website and others follwed by my own original images and edits.
chosen images to enhance
Final chosen images
Lighting used and setup
For all of these photo-shoots I used my home studio , I used two 150w interfit lights with a a soft-box modifier and an umbrella to get even lighting, I i was to purchase another soft box the lighting would of been even more even and created no shadows.
Product shot texts - handmade infant headbands
I have decided to photograph some of my infant headbands as some tests with lighting , postionsing and use of backgrounds and materials using my sb900 flashgun.
Here are my chosen images which i am going to edit with actions in photoshop.
Report
After researching commercial images from my own specialism of photography, I found adverts from maternity clothing to baby wipes and nappies. Initially I thought that the likes of a nappy adverts would be boring and predictable but once I did my research and thought of ways of making a nappy advert more creative and aesthetically pleasing to a customer, I decided upon doing an advert with a newborn. The photo shoot didn’t go as well as I had planned it could have been improved with the use of more backdrops to make the image look like it was more in a room Due to the unsuccessful photo shoot and the outcome and the images I decided not to take this idea any further.
I initially liked the idea of creating a next advert photographing a child from a young age to and older age to show that they can shop in next from being young to adult. I feel that both photo shoots were successful and I managed to get a variety of images from each one. The only thing I would of done differently was to make the images more similar with what the model was wearing.
As my specialism in photography is maternity and babies I wanted to do a maternity clothing range advert for mamas and papas. My idea was to show that maternity clothing doesn’t have to be frumpy and boring and to photograph a pregnant women looking glamorous and glowing. At first glance of the images I felt happy with the outcome but after reviewing several images I feel that the lighting could have been improved in order to make the images more clean looking.
Moving on from these ideas I felt although they were all similar with most of my ideas relating to clothing, I wanted to take this further but incorporate another specialism within the clothing range, I found a range of dance wear for toddlers babies and children which many would be used for a boutique baby photograph. The images on the website although didn’t do the outfits justice so I decided to use this as an opportunity to create something new for this brand of clothing. I wanted to incorporate different wallpapers and materials as from earlier photo shoots I felt that was what the image was lacking, a set design to make it look more like a room rather than a studio. Overall I was happy with the outcome of all of these photo shoots and would only change the modeling images and maybe experiment more with different models and set designs.
Overall Strengths and Weaknesses
After reviewing my images from the originals to the final edits on aperture and adobe Photoshop cs5 I have recognized some of my weaknesses and strengths whilst doing this brief. I have noticed that my improvements fall within the lighting category; I feel I have failed to use the correct lighting for a commercial image as on some images there are unwanted shadows. I have acknowledged that my strengths have been the set build within an image ,I have used extra props and materials and thought about how they would effect the image and the product within it. I have also experimented with several different models in each photo shoot and the focal lengths. word count - 550
