Look, commercial photography isn’t always as sexy as shooting a music festival. It’s not San Fransisco at golden hour. There may be meetings with managers who use the word “synergy”. It’s multiple takes of an intern holding a tablet like it’s the Holy Grail. But, if you do it right, if you treat it like an art, you can have a pretty good time and give your client more than they want.

Also, it pays! Like, actual money. Not “exposure” or two tickets for beer as long as they are PBR for those of you just starting . If you’ve ever thought about quitting your soul crushing corporate job to go full time photography this can be an exciting stepping stone.

Top photo shot for local OKC company Security Options

So, without further ado, some honest tips for surviving and hopefully thriving in commercial photography.

1. You Don’t Actually Have to Be a Diva

Your artistic vision is great. But this isn’t your DIY venue gallery show in Brooklyn. This is someone else’s brand who’s decided to pay you for the full extent of your abilities to hopefully meet and align with their vision. They want the texture of their food to shine beyond that of the do it yourselfers uploading phone pics to their google page or their toothpaste to sparkle like the crown jewels. Your job is to deliver, on time and on brand, and it’s a bonus if you can do without making anyone think you are a pretentious dickhead.

So if you can for a moment, think less tortured genius, more cool co-worker. Go with the flow. Never react to someones creativity with negativity. Be collaborative. Listen. Smile. You can still shoot your weird clown series on the weekends.

2. Know the Product Better Than the Client

You’d be surprised how often people selling the product see it in a different way than the general public. If you have ADHD like most photographers you may have the hidden super power of seeing what’s missing at your first glance. Do your homework and take notes of what you notice. Figuring out what makes the business tick and who it’s for can craft parts of a marketing plan the business didnt even know it needed.

When you get on site, do all the work. If it’s a blender, blend things. If it’s a shoe, wear it. Jump around. See if it squeaks. You might just find something interesting that the client didn’t even know they had.

Also, just keep your client in mind. I took the picture below for Neon Tiger Salon who I’ve worked with a lot. I wasn’t on a shoot the day I took this, but I drove by and knew it would be good for social media. (people love a dramatic sky) so I just pulled out my phone and snapped a pic. Sometimes people need a reminder a business exists (and a dramatic sky in Oklahoma obviously)

3. Lighting is King, but Retouching is the Mafia

Get your lighting right. Really. Dial it in. Know your strobes, flashes and triggers and be ready for anything. Continuous lights can work to. The most important thing is you know your gear.

And then? Retouch it like your reputation depends on it. Nobody wants to see fingerprints on a perfume bottle or a weird reflection of your assistant picking their nose. Clean it up. Lightroom it up. Lighten the darks and darken the lights. Linear gradients, whatever it takes, make it shine. Make it aspirational.

4. Understand Why What You’re Doing is Important

Today we live in a competitive market, the visuals and representation of your brand is more easily accessible to the consumer and more important than ever. A Commercial photography session offers one extremely powerful solution to push your business towards the top of this market. High-quality images optimized for SEO and online marketing can pass on your brand's story, show off your products, reach and resonate with the audience you want in a way few things can.

Commercial Photography for Factory Obscura

You want your visual identity to captures attention and builds trust.You can use pics for advertising, promo materials like brochures and flyers, hand bills, social media, or e-commerce, unique visuals can significantly increase your engagement and conversion rates.

The most important things to me are creating custom tailored photographic content that reflects what your brand represents and authenticity. Then understanding how to use these things to highlight features, create narratives, and evoke emotions by planning and executing sets of images that hit your exact needs.

5. Be the Calm in the Marketing Storm

Humans panic. Art directors sweat. The client might start talking about “millennials” like it’s an alien species. Your job? Stay cool. Crack a joke. Fix the lighting. Keep it moving. You’re the shepherd in the chaos, not the sacrificial lamb. The most important thing that will help you to do this is to know your stuff. Do your research. Know your gear and know the product.

You’re a problem solver with a camera.

Final Thoughts

Commercial photography isn’t the Wild West, it’s the factory floor. But damn, there’s something beautiful about doing the job right. About seeing a good plan come to fruition. At the end, if you’re lucky, they’ll even feed you lunch. You’re chances are better if it’s a food shoot, but if it’s not, hey, maybe it’s catered.

Now go. Shoot clean. Stay sharp. And for the love of focus—double-check your memory cards.

Commercial Photography - Tips from the Trenches