Corporate photography, business photography, commercial photography… call it whatever you want, but it all means the same thing—photography that is used to promote and showcase your business to your audience.
When you think of commercial or corporate photography, what comes to mind? Headshots? Photos of your team in action? Product photography? These are all fair and correct responses. But these aren’t the only types of photography your business can benefit from. Discover some of your many options from the list below:
Headshots
Headshots are one of the most common categories in corporate photography, as many businesses like to capture their employees’ likenesses to display on the team pages of their websites.
Headshot photography is often minimal with only a neutral background, simple lighting arrangement, and single camera. Subjects may be asked to stand or possibly sit on a stool. (Think “picture day” in school.)
However, headshot photography can also be highly customizable to your business. For a unique backdrop, you could position your team members in front of your office building or a branded truck or sign. There are plenty of ways to make your headshot photography as simple or as unique as possible.
And there’s nothing stopping you from going against what’s conventional and getting creative with your team’s headshots, either! If It’s on brand to think outside the box a little, there are ways to capture some unique headshots, whether it’s allowing your team members to pose in a silly way, wear their favorite band’s T-shirt, pose with an object that represents their nerdiness, or anything else you can think of and want to go with.
Office/Business Environment Photography
There is a ton of flexibility and possibility when it comes to capturing your office or business environment. Perhaps you want shots of your team members at their desks. Or maybe you want a group photo in your lobby. Or maybe you want images of your team’s interaction with customers. Whatever your vision is, this type of photography can make it happen.
Choose office or business photography for:
- Candid shots of your team collaborating on a project in the office, facility, or store
- Posed shots of your team in the office, facility, or store
- Candid shots of your team out in the field on a service call
- Shots of your team interacting with customers, clients, or patients
There are so many possibilities as to the story you can tell through environmental photography and ways you can use it to attract potential customers and employees to your company.
Product Photography
Another one of the most common types of commercial photography is product photography. “Products” is a fairly general term that can include anything, such as:
- Clothing items
- Tools and equipment
- Food and beverage items
- Homes and buildings
Anything that is tangible, photograph-able, and available for purchase can be considered a “product.” (Intangible products like insurance plans or financial products are not suited for product photography since, well, they are intangible—promoting these types of products is done best through environmental photography.)
Use product photography to showcase items available in-store or online or to display the items customers can expect to receive when they sign up for a particular service or installation.
Some of the most common types of product photography include:
- Lifestyle – capture the product as it is being used to help audiences understand its use and benefit.
- Process—Capture the product as it is being built or created to show the care and quality that went into producing it.
- Studio – capture the product in the studio with a plain background for a clear and simple image.
- Grouped – if the product is part of a set or compatible with other products, you can capture them all together.
Fashion Photography
Similar to lifestyle product photography is fashion photography, in which clothing or accessories are worn to show how the item(s) look on a person.
Fashion photography uses a different approach to lifestyle product photography, however, because, in addition to making the actual clothing item look good, it’s crucial for the model to look good, too. Presentation is everything, and fashion photography requires a particular approach that ensures both the model and the clothing item(s) come together to create an appealing, attractive look.
Architectural Photography
If you have a visually interesting, unique, or recognizable office building, you can benefit from incorporating photography of your building into your marketing collateral. Just like business environmental photography captures your company’s uniqueness, architectural photography can enhance your efforts to really set yourself apart from your competitors and show off your location.
If you are a construction company or a company that is otherwise in the construction industry, architectural photography is a fantastic way to promote your capabilities and service offerings. Showcase your most impressive builds or installations and display them on your website, social media pages, print pieces, and more.
If you are a realtor or real estate company who needs to promote the homes or buildings you have available, architectural photography can capture your listed structures in a way that draws potential buyers in and highlights their unique features and qualities.
Event Photography
If your company participates in or hosts a corporate or community event, photographing the activities and the people involved is a great way to reveal the human side of your business. It tells the story of what matters to you and entices audiences to discover more. Whether the event is charity-based, centered around your industry, or something else entirely, event photography can help capture your mission and values in action and can peel back the curtain further to help connect with your audience more.
Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is a newer type of corporate photography service thanks to the rise in commercial-use camera drones. Capture views from high above if you want to show off a large area of land, a particular structure, your team in action, and more.
Common industries that can benefit from aerial photography include:
- Construction
- Real estate
- Roofing
- Landscaping
- Engineering
- Farming
- Timber
- Tourism
- Entertainment
If you have something to capture, aerial photography can provide a unique look from a game-changing angle.
Who Benefits From Commercial Photography?
Every business or organization, no matter the industry, benefits from commercial photography. People rely on photography and visuals to guide their decisions, especially when it comes to marketing. They want to see who you are and what you can do for them, not just be told about it.
Marketing psychology is real, and your photography plays a huge role in how successfully you appeal to the minds of your audience. Attractive, compelling, unique visuals can reel new clients in or drive them into the arms of your competitors who may have better images (or images at all).
So basically, if you are a business owner or a part of a business or organization in any way, know that your company will only benefit from photography*.
*good, high-quality, professional photography
When it’s time to change the look of your company’s image, talk to M&R about our commercial photography services. 478-621-4491
Your company is unique; there’s no other like it. Make sure your audience sees the difference through photography for your business. We offer all types of commercial photography services for businesses in every industry and are committed to capturing the visuals that allow you to stand out from the rest.
Learn more by contacting one of our business development managers today! We’ll share with you all the ways photography can transform your image and strengthen your connection with your audiences.
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