What is Commercial Photography? A Guide

Visual content is some of the most important content out there. Whilst a lot of focus is placed on videos, the truth is that photographs and images still hold a very important role in how you present your business. Whilst there are a number of different ways you can present your business via images, one of the most common, and effective ways, is through high quality commercial photography. But what exactly is it, and how does it differ from other photography types?

 

What is Commercial Photography?

The definition of commercial photography is relatively simple. It’s any type of professional photography that\s used to promote or market a product or services. The goal is to present a compelling, consistent and interesting visual display to the companies target audience to help products or services get sold. Unlike a lot of other forms of photography, there is less focus on individual artistic integrity and more focused on meeting highly specific marketing and business objectives.

Any from of photography utilised by a business to meet its marketing objectives can likely be classed as commercial photography in some sense. This is one of the reasons why it is so essential to a business, because every business uses imagery in some form to advertise themselves or their products. 

Despite it’s wide use their are certain types of commercial photography which have developed into specialist areas themselves. These include:

Product Photography

Product photography is a common form of commercial photography, where images of a product are created for use in advertisements or e-commerce sites. These images can be used all over the web to drive sales of the products, making it an essential part of any eCommerce business.

Fashion Photography

We’ve all seen photos of models wearing clothing when we’re purchasing new clothes for ourselves. The truth though is that fashion photography isn’t just about traditional photographs of models wearing the clothing. There’s more technical elements that need to be paid attention to such as Ghost Mannequin Photography, where the clothes are visible and nothing else is. 

Corporate Headshots & Team Photoshoots

In commercial photography, Corporate Headshots and Team Photoshoots are essential services focused on creating visual assets that help a business build its brand, project professionalism, and connect with its audience.

– Corporate Headshots

A corporate headshot is a professional portrait of an individual, usually an employee, executive, or business owner, used for professional and marketing purposes. Unlike a quick snapshot, these images are carefully composed, lit, and retouched to convey a specific brand message.

• What it is: A close-up or upper-body portrait, typically used to represent an individual staff member. The goal is to project a polished, trustworthy, and approachable professional image.

• Key Focus: The subject’s expression, confidence, and professionalism. The photos should be versatile for use across various platforms like LinkedIn, company “About Us” pages, email signatures, and press releases.

• Style: Modern headshots have moved away from overly stiff, formal poses. They are often taken in a studio with a neutral background (white, grey) or as “lifestyle headshots” which use the office environment as a backdrop to look more natural and dynamic.

• The Investment: Professional headshots are seen as a critical investment because the employee’s image is often the first impression a client or potential hire has of the business.

Learn more about Emma Milestone’s Corporate Headshots.

– Team Photoshoots

A team photoshoot is a broader session designed to capture a group of people working together or posed collectively, providing visual content that emphasizes company culture, collaboration, and unity.

• What it is: Photography that includes formal group portraits, as well as informal, “in-action” or “behind-the-scenes” shots of employees working, collaborating, or interacting within the office environment.

• Key Focus: Showcasing the team’s dynamic, company values, and work environment. This type of photography helps prospective talent and clients understand the culture and feel a human connection to the brand.

• Style: These shoots are flexible, ranging from formal group compositions (staggered levels to ensure everyone is visible) to candid, authentic shots of staff in meeting rooms, break-out areas, or at their desks.

• The Investment: These photos provide a richer, more comprehensive view of the organization than individual headshots alone. They are invaluable for recruitment, internal communications, and website branding.

Learn more about Emma Milestone’s Team Photoshoots.

Branding & Marketing Photography

Commercial photography is the intentional creation of images designed to promote, sell, or advertise your business. In our visually-driven world, this photography is the fundamental language your brand uses to communicate. It’s not just about taking a picture; it’s about visual storytelling.

Professional images capture the essence of your brand, communicating your values and unique selling proposition without a single word. This visual narrative creates an emotional connection with the viewer, building the crucial “know, like, and trust” factor that drives customer loyalty and sales. Generic stock photos can’t achieve this; only custom-created visuals can truly set you apart and elevate your credibility.

– The Value of an Experienced Photographer

Investing in an experienced commercial photographer is an essential strategic move. A professional guarantees both technical mastery and strategic alignment:

1. Technical Mastery: They expertly manage complex lighting, composition, and post-production to ensure every image is flawless, consistent, and polished. This immediately raises the perceived value of your products and services.

2. Strategic Alignment: They work from a detailed brief to translate your marketing goals into compelling visuals. This ensures the photos reinforce your specific brand messages, avoiding the pitfalls of amateur work that can make your business look disorganized or unprofessional.

A skilled photographer handles the complex logistics—from large-scale team photoshoots to product styling—efficiently, guaranteeing a high-impact return on your investment.

See how professional photography delivers measurable results for major brands:

View Emma Milestone’s Barratt Homes Case Studies Here

View Emma Milestone’s Coutts Bank Case Studies Here

Food Photography

The visuals of food play a massive part in making it appetising for potential customers, so effective Food Photography for use in adverts, cookbooks, on

menus is necessary to generate interest in the product. It also is one of the trickiest forms of commercial photography around, as working with food is notoriously difficult. 

Why Should You Use A Commercial Photographer?

– Benefit 1: Professionalism

Professional commercial photography instantly elevates your brand’s credibility and image.

• Elevate Perception: While amateur or in-house photography can make a business appear more amateurish than it is, professional commercial imagery ensures your visuals are clean, consistent, and meticulously composed. This reflects positively on the quality and reliability of your services.

• Build Trust: High-quality visuals demonstrate that you take your business seriously and invest in your brand. This attention to detail builds trust with potential clients, directly impacting their perception of your competence and their likelihood to engage or “convert” into a customer.

• Visual Consistency: A commercial photographer establishes a consistent visual identity across your entire marketing presence (website, social media, print), which is a hallmark of a professional and well-managed organization.

– Benefit 2: Increased Sales

Effective commercial photography is a powerful sales tool that directly enhances product appeal and drives purchasing decisions.

• Enhance Desirability: Professionals use lighting, styling, and composition to make products and services look their absolute best. This makes them more desirable and appealing to consumers, appealing to both emotional and logical purchasing triggers.

• Showcase Value and Features: Clear, well-lit photographs can effectively showcase product features, scale, texture, and use cases that simple text descriptions cannot convey. By visually presenting the value proposition, you reduce customer confusion and objections.

• Improve Click-Through and Conversion Rates: Across e-commerce and social media, high-impact photography is proven to capture attention faster than text. Better visuals lead to higher engagement (more clicks) and a lower bounce rate, ultimately increasing the likelihood that a visitor will complete a purchase.

The Challenges of Commercial Photography

Whilst commercial photography is very important, it’s also very difficult to do properly. The most common pitfalls that cause issues for inexperienced photographers are:

Lighting & Composition

Lighting and composition are two of the most important aspects of photography of any sort, and because commercial photography can require shoots in unusual locations or utilising complex compositions to tell the brands story. This can be very difficult to do if you’re not experienced, so it’s advisable to bring in a professional commercial photographer to handle the shoot.

Post Production

Once the photos have been taken they will likely need editing and post-production, This requires specialist software, and knowledge to get the images to the point that they will work properly as commercial photos. The software costs alone means that it’s beneficial to bring in an experienced commercial photographer who can handle the editing and post-production

Because commercial photography involves creating visually compelling images that effectively convey a brand’s message, products, or services it’s essential to work with an experienced commercial photographer that can handle all of the challenges posed. This will allow you to ensure that you have high quality images that convey your brand, and products in a meaningful way to help meet your marketing objectives.