Name one thing that has a psychological and emotional impact. Advertisement.

Products we see, the lifestyle we lead, the things we want to achieve- all these happen due to advertising. It shows us what’s new or trendy, what we need to solve problems, what other people are buying, and things like that.

That’s the purpose and power advertising holds- influencing us to buy and own products, properties, and many other things.

How an ad performs mostly depends on the visuals. So, let’s get to know what is advertising photography, its types, benefits, and how you can shoot to advertise, all at once.

What is Advertising Photography?

Advertising photography is a type of commercial photography that is used to launch, engage a target audience, deliver a business message, create awareness, share information, and/ or boost sales on a certain product.

Advertising photography isn’t always about the product. Photography like headshots or model photography intends to advertise a person’s skill to the targeted job marketplaces.

The purposes of advertisement photography are:

• Taking high-quality images
• Showcasing value and authority
• Gain trust and impact
• Highlight features
• Assurance to provide a solution

What are the Types of Advertising Photography? 

Advertise photography types vary in many and new types of photography are being added from time to time. Even so, the main genres are still the most sought-after. Let’s take a look at the most common types of ad photography.

1. Product Photography

Product photography is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of advertising photos. The main goal of advertising a product is to describe the product, highlight its features and benefits, show how it offers solutions to users, and so on. It includes:

• Ecommerce Photography: Aims to promote products on ecommerce platforms. These types of products are photographed by following some rules.
• Social Media Photography: Shows products on diverse layouts to make them look attractive and stunning.
• Lifestyle Photography: Helps people visualize how a product will look or feel based on real-life events or usage.

2. Fashion Photography

Fashion photography is a vast category. Advertising photography for fashion products aims to keep fashion enthusiasts informed and brands to attract and engage more targeted customers and convince them to purchase. Some of the fashion products include:

• Clothing Photography: Showcases fashion in the most convenient way, from children to adults, cloth has an audience of all ages.
• Jewelry Photography: Displays the tiny intricacies and dazzling look of ornaments and jewelry pieces.
• Beauty Photography: Displays beauty products, their benefits, and the impact it has on the face or skin.
• Shoe photography: Shows different types of shoes based on users’ needs, usage, seasons, or purposes.
• Accessories Photography: Products like wristwatches, bags, caps, etc that help complete a fashionable look.
• Model Photography: Models are used on specific products or show an overall look of how to look fashionable.

3. Food Photography

Food photography shows how delicious, mouth-watering, and tempting food is. Every restaurant and food product manufacturer wants the viewers to taste that feeling through the images. Food photographers show that with their products.

4. Portrait Photography

Portrait photography reveals human personalities, facial expressions, and emotions. Mostly used to advertise movies, games, or shows. It can be of one single person’s image or a group of people’s image.

5. Corporate Photography

Corporate photography aims to show the environment and culture inside of a business by capturing photos of spaces, employees, work environments, etc. It also includes:

• Headshot Photography: Shows employee’s professionalism and corporate look.
• Event Photography: Includes different programs, events, corporate gatherings, etc.
• Architectural Photography: Shows office interior, exterior, facilities, etc.

6. Automotive Photography

Automotive or car photography is where photographers show cars, their features, and different parts through images. Different car brands look for automotive photographers to advertise their cars to their prospects.

7. Real Estate Photography

The purpose of real estate photography is to advertise homes or residential areas so that people can find the most convenient place to accommodate them. For example Airbnb.

8. Travel Photography

Used for offering relaxation, travel photography offers services to help people understand different cultures, educate them, and promote sales. This is mostly used by travel agencies, resorts, etc.

9. Miniature Photography

This type of shot is meant for small objects in which the details or the subject are somewhat difficult to see by the naked eye. By using a macro lens or prime lens macro shots are taken to make those small or visible parts a life-like one. For example, jewelry intricacies, or toy photography.

What are the Benefits of Creative Advertising Photography?

Creative ad photos help draw attention, create awareness of a brand & business, deliver information, and increase sales. So, the benefits it provides are way many.

Creating a Long-Lasting Impression

Ad photos are targeted for commercial purposes, and to achieve that ads need to be creative. Creative ads help people remember a brand for a long time. The longer the impression a brand can make, the better the acceptance will get as it stands out from the variety of product visuals.

Display Product Features

Shopping is mostly online nowadays. Images are the most convenient means to convince a buyer. Compelling ad shots help point up a product’s features, benefits, or functionalities in detail so that viewers’ confusions are clarified, they feel confident about the product and interested in buying it.

Reflect the Brand’s Image

There is a saying ‘Dress to impress’. If you dress well, you can easily convince others. The same goes for products, if the product’s outer look is good, people accept it well. As they perceive, ‘good brands have good products’. So, high-quality images reflect on the perception of your brand.

Presenting a Message

Consistent marketing with high-quality ad photos helps bands deliver a strong brand message as a premium quality product supplier. The target audience gradually starts to understand the brand’s message, and its differences and recognize them among the competitors and thus it helps a brand to be distinctive with their strategic approach.

Execute Marketing Moals

With creative photos of the product in hand, you can set the marketing goals right through various channels from online to offline, digital media to print media, persuade the target audience, create loyal clientele, and increase WOM (word of mouth) and referral by building trust apart from the targeted marketing strategies.

How Do I Take Advertising Photography: Tips and Examples 

Taking photographs to advertise news a thorough planning. This planning includes the subject, location, theme, equipment, types of shots, inclusion of models, props, etc. I understand- it seems a lot at first glance. Don’t worry; here is the breakdown for each of the steps and how you can proceed.

1. What is the Subject?

When it is about advertising photography, the subject is a vital factor. Most ads are about products, oftentimes these are about action or service as well. Based on that, you need to revise the plan so that your subject appears easy to understand for the viewers.

For example, you can simply take a shot of a product on a white background, but if your subject is for a charity organization, you need to have a story plan to encourage people to donate.

2. Decide the Location

Indoor photography isn’t much of a hassle. Just get your equipment, set it, and start shooting. However, if the location is outdoor, then that’s a concern. Here is what you can do to find locations for outdoor photography:

• Check with Google Maps
• Contact location scouting service providers
• Ask the community for location suggestions
• Do DIY setup around you

3. Theme Matters

Advertising photo themes can vary, it can be funny, professional, serious, or sympathetic. Having a theme in mind will set the other tasks right on the track. It’s up to you how you can come up with your theme, but consider the following questions:

• What’s the purpose of this shooting?
• What are you trying to deliver?
• What’s your target or goal?
• What type of concept and mood fits the subject?

List down the answers and you will find out the theme you can arrange for your photoshoot.

4. Prepare the Photography Gear

A good photograph isn’t all about the skills, but also about having the right equipment set. If your gears are in support, you will streamline the process and make smooth progress. If not, there will be a disaster!

At the beginning of your photography career, finding the right equipment is challenging. That’s why we are here to help you.

Check the equipment list suggested by veteran photographers for advertisement photography below.

Camera

Choose a camera that offers a high-resolution image and performance. If you want other features, you can choose:

• DSLR
• Mirrorless camera or
• APS-C cameras

You don’t need to start working with a brand-new camera from the store, you can choose to purchase a pre-owned one. You can also work with your smartphone cameras as well.

Lenses

Having different lenses will help you explore the diversity of photography. But it’s okay to own one or two depending on requirements. Here is what you can choose.

• Prime lens: Fixed focal length, offers sharp images in low light.
• Zoom lens: Captures photos from different ranges.
• Macro lens: Take close-up shots in detail.
• Wide-angle lens: Captures expanded scenes.
• Standard lens: Offers natural field of view.

Backgrounds

For outdoor photography background isn’t much of a hassle, you can choose to use natural background scenes or take artificial backgrounds as well that complement the subject. Some common photography backdrops are:

• Muslin
• Canvas
• Vinyl
• Velvet
• Chroma key
• Paper etc.

Lighting

Both natural and artificial lighting can work well if you can prepare the setup well. If you are unsure, then go with artificial ones like:

• Softboxes
• Umbrellas
• Speedlights
• Strobes
• Continuous lights

Also, while selecting the lighting gears, take note that the lights are durable and compatible with modifiers. To mitigate the harshness of the light, use bounce cards or reflectors to balance the lights.

Filters

Known as a silent hero, this gear offers creative control. You can choose:

• Polarizing: To remove glares and enhance colors.
• Neutral density: To achieve long exposure in bright conditions.
• UV/ Skylight: Haze reduction and enhanced clarity.
• Colored filters: Emphasize specific colors and add color casts.

Tripod

You need to mount your camera and hold it in a steady position so that there are no blurry or shaky images. For that, you can choose from the following tripods:

• Vanguard Alta Pro 263AP
• Manfrotto B PIXI Mini Tripod
• Benro Mach3 TMA37C
• 3 Legged Thing Punks Brian tripod

5. Select the Types of Ad Shots

Now that your equipment and gear are all in place, it’s time to start the main event.

Photography shots vary depending on the purpose and subject.

Take a look at the chart for the types of ad photo shots.

6. Inclusion of Models

Hire models to advertise your products (physical or digital). The model helps make the subject more relatable and generalized, and it naturally sparks interest. Models are attractive and glamorous, so it is easier for them to deliver the brand’s message and photography purposes and fulfill the role the whole photography theme is missing.

7. Shoot & Edit Your Photos

As everything is prepared, start taking shots of products, Consider the above-mentioned angles and try other angles as well. Take shots and analyze the light setup, props arrangement, shadow placements, etc. The whole setup would highlight the subject, anything other than that needs alteration.

You want absolute perfection in every shot; minor flaws can sometimes arise. For that, you can outsource photo editing services from us, it’s affordable, quick to deliver, secure, and services provided by skilled photo editors. Post-production work is essential for the commercial look but time-lengthy.

So leave the tiring after-photoshoot work to us and invest the time you have saved to prepare for your next projects.

4 Tips for Advertising Shots Based on the Subject

The gear and setup are somewhat similar to advertising photography. However, some tips impact the viewers to remember the photography for a long time. Check these out to implement on your photoshoot.

1. Advertising Photos of Product

Follow these tips to take ad photography for products:

• Conceptualize your theme that touches the audience emotionally, it can be of:

a) a certain security, for example, payment,

b) a conscious choice such as eating healthy

c) making a beneficial decision like buying something.

d) Or you can ask customers to share their story.

• Use clean, clear, well-polished, and pristine conditioned products.
• Ensure the products are well-lit and the color temperature is right balanced.
• Place the light source close to the subject.
• Take advantage of composition as much as you can.

2. Advertising Photos of Services

Taking ad photographs for intangible products like services requires brainstorming.  While shooting for your service business, take note of the following tips.

• Pay heed to surrounding settings. The setup must be a professional environment. The working stage, the background, and everything else need to align with the service.
• Include people, such as team members, customer service representatives, and happy customers to input reliability and assurance among viewers. Make sure they look happy and warm-hearted.
• Show the portion of service received, it can be the consultation part or document handover, etc.

3. Advertising Photos of Storefront

Take a physical store picture of your business if you have one. You can be professional about it or tell a story and be dramatic about the ad images. Follow these tips to take shots of the storefront.

• Decide the angle first, from where the storefront is in clear view. b. It doesn’t always have to be in front; sometimes, it can be an angled pose or on the opposite side of the road.
• Make sure the storefront is clean. Decorate it to make it look better.
• Add people to different activities on the storefront.
• Take shots in different weather, not only on sunny days but also on cloudy days. Cloudy images look better.

4. Advertising Photos of Business

Here is what you need to follow while taking shots of your business:

• Take note of models’ wardrobes in business photos.
• Consider storytelling with your business brand photos.
• Use professional personnel shots like headshots, portrait shots, commercial space shots, etc.
• Consider candid moments as well.

How Important is Post-Production in Advertising Photography?

Post-production works are like a structure that helps raw images fall into the system. A finishing retouching will empower the ad images to perform better. Here is how:

• It helps enhance visual appeal, capture attention, initiate interaction, and spark interest.

• Editing helps viewers understand the authenticity and quality of products.

• It retains consistency, which is the foundation of awareness, reputation, and credibility.

• Post-production works ensure that the images can convey the message, and personalize the target audience across all sales channels.

If you want to make a change to your advertising images, consider professional photo editing services. These services are reliable, secure, and fast and you get high-end edited images ready to publish.

How Do I Break into the Advertising Photography Industry?

If you want to know how to advertise your photography business, here is how you can kickstart your journey in the advertising photography industry. 

Step 1: Develop your Portfolio

Before getting hired, you need to showcase your skills in this field to potential clients. So gather all your work and filter the best photos. Then, you can make a portfolio with you by using different creative portfolio-building platforms or on your website.

Step 2: Ask among the Acquaintance

Get your skill recognized among your family, friends, neighborhood, and relatives. Ask them if they know any professionals who could recommend his work. Start bit by bit. But don’t do it for free if you have a couple of years of expertise in your bag. Accept only the paid gigs.

Step 3: Get Connected and Social

Join social groups, events, and communities online, offline, and niche-related. The perks of it are you see yourself in your world of passion, are full of like-minded people, share and learn a lot, and can get more insights into the work.

Step 4: Search for Relevant Work Opportunities

Take advantage of search engines to find jobs that match your skills. It doesn’t have to be a photographer position from the get-go; you can get hired as a photo assistant. Starting as an assistant around the commercial setup will help you observe and understand a lot on your way to being an aspiring photographer.

FAQs about Advertising with Photography

Conclusion

Ad photography is a powerful marketing tool. By telling a story, it gets close to the audience and grabs their attention. So, ad photos need to be flashy and impressive just as we see on magazine pages.

With something slightly different from other commercial photography, ad photography has its tactics to pursue viewers. Hope this article has been helpful for you to understand.

Keep an eye on our blog to find more helpful photography-related content to sharpen your skills. See you soon.