The world of photography offers a host of options and opportunities, making it a very popular and widely used art form, particularly in advertising and the media. Photography allows you to choose your area of focus, and then decide from which angle you would like to approach it. With todays advanced editing software, like Adobe Photoshop, theres even more scope for possibility.

What is commercial photography?

Commercial photography, in short, is any photography for which a photographer is paid for requested images. Wholesale, retail, and professional uses of photography would fall into this category. The commercial photographic world includes the following types of photography:

Advertising photography

These are photographs that are used to depict and sell a specific service, product or brand and are usually done with a design firm or advertising agency.

Fashion and glamour photography

This type of photography usually incorporates models. Fashion photography focuses more on the clothing being worn, while glamour photography focuses more on the model.

Still life photography

This usually focuses on inanimate objects, natural or artificial. Often, the subject matter is everyday items that have simply been shot in an abstract or unusual manner.

Food photography

This is photography that can be used for advertising, editorial, or packaging purposes. Similar to still life photography, it is quite a specialised field of photography.

Editorial photography

Photographs are used to illustrate a story or concept within the style and context of the relevant publication.

Photojournalism

These are photos of actual events, situations or people that are considered pictorial documentation of a story.

Black and white photography

This is a medium that offers a lot of scope and possibility for photographers. Its timeless appeal means it can also be used for any topic or genre.

Landscape photography

In short, these are photographs of different locations. Landscape photos can be very sought-after for books, travel guides and as works of art.

Stock photography

Publishing or sharing digital photos in an online database where interested parties can purchase them is referred to as stock photography. Read our Image Library section for more information.

What are the different elements that need to be taken into consideration?

Since reflected light is what photographic films/sensors use to create images, lighting is clearly a key element in all kinds of photography.

Light sources are divided into two major categories:

- Natural

     o Sunlight
     o Moonlight
     o Reflected Daylight

- Artificial
     o Flash
     o Lamps
     o Studio Lights

It is interesting to note that natural light is not always outdoor-light; the same applies to artificial light not necessarily being indoor-. An outdoor shoot may make use of flash to counter harsh shadows, for instance, while indoor shoot may rely solely on light filtered through a window.

Light may also be classified by its direction with relation to the subject. There are four of these classifications for light (natural or artificial):

- Overhead
High contrast harsh shadows

- Front
Lacks depth and dimension

- Back
May require additional fill or reflector

- Side
Good for bringing out textures, defining shapes

Another characteristic of light is the quality, often defined as "hard" or "soft." Hard light is very bright, resulting in sharp shadows, while soft light is diffused, displaying better range with regards to details.

Good pictures usually result from careful attention to a few basic compositional elements, together with the right lighting and interesting subject matter. There is no "right" way to take a picture: its more about what you want the picture to say, and how you want to say it.

There are, however, a number of different techniques that can be employed by photographers to give your relevant photograph the right tone or mood. This is largely dependent on whether the photographer is shooting with a digital camera (the more conventional route nowadays) or on film. With digital photos, there is also a lot of manipulation and retouching that can be done after the photo has been shot. A good photographer will guide you, and be able to show you what your options are, as you go along.

What does modelling entail?

Making sure you have a model who fits the jobs brief and profile is crucial to its success. Besides for the huge variety of individual looks and body types, there are also very distinct categories of models. These include:

Fashion models

Usually very tall and slim, these models are mostly used in editorial shoots and runway shows. With fashion models, the focus is more on the clothing than the models themselves.

Glamour models

Also sometimes called pin-ups, glamour models are usually chosen for their bodies and perceived sexiness. Here, the models themselves are the focus.

Swimwear models

Quite similar to glamour models, swimwear models are usually considered very sexy and have appealing body shapes. Height is not really an important factor here.

Body-part models

Models employed for their attractive specific body parts. Someone with beautiful feet, for instance, may be used as the spokesmodel for a brand of sandals.

Petite models

These models are usually smaller than fashion models and would more than likely only be used in photo shoots.

Plus-size models

Usually slightly curvier than their fashion counterparts, these models are used to promote clothing ranges, etc. for fuller figures

Alternative models

Models that do not fit into the conventional model types, these may include emo, punk, goth, fetish, tattooed models, or models that have a distinctive attribute.

Promotional models

These are models used to promote products or items at launches and events. Here, physical requirements are not always as stringent.

Child models

These are children who pose as models for publications, runway shows, etc.

Where does Avant Communication fit in?

Whether its a shoot for a corporate brochure or a fashion magazine, we will provide you with a professional photographer with ample experience in every niche discipline. If you need models, Avant Communication will launch an extensive search to find the faces and looks that are exactly in line with the image you want to portray. Our services span the full spectrum of:<

- Professional photography

- Studio photography

- Outdoor photography

- Aerial photography

- Model searches

In short, we have the resources and talent on hand to ensure that your photographic requirements will be met and exceeded, putting your campaign, brochure or editorial in a league of its own.