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What commercial photo set looks like in the COVID-19 era

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Has COVID-19 impacted the look of advertising campaigns?

Maybe – but probably not by as much as you might think. What is impacted, however, is the way that a commercial photography set operates for the foreseeable future.

As an advertising photographer, you are responsible for everything that happens on set while shooting a campaign. This can range from not just the lighting scheme, but the choice of using craft services versus having a chef on set, choosing the appropriate camera and related equipment, and most importantly the safety of everyone present. This isn’t to say that there are not safety officers on set, or form specific trainers when we photograph professional athletes, but that the buck always stops at the photographer. For those that do commercial photography, we know that there are never ending insurance certificate pulls happening just to step foot on set. But how do we create when it comes to an unseen virus, and what will those campaigns look like?

Here are the new proposed fees for commercial shoots on federal land

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Commercial filmmakers, videographers, and photographers usually need to pay a fee if they want to shoot on every federal land. Right now, however, the fees aren’t consistent across these lands. Therefore, federal land management agencies are currently in the process of standardizing them and making them mandatory and consistent everywhere.

Being a hand model takes a lot more dedication (and lotion) than you might think

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As photographers or filmmakers, many of us have or will work with models at some point, perhaps even regularly. Typically, however, it’s about the whole package. We’re not usually focusing on just one part of them. Well, not unless you’re shooting products and need the services of a hand model. A hand model like RayMartell Moore.

This eight and a half minute video from Insider offers a fascinating insight into the world of hand modelling. RayMartell is uniquely qualified to talk about this topic as he’s been doing it for a decade now and his services can command as much as $4,000 per job.

These are six main differences between editorial and commercial photography

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There are plenty of genres and types of photography and assignments. Commercial and editorial photography are terms that often confused, especially if you’re new to the craft. But there are significant differences between the two, and in this video, Scott Choucino will guide you through them.

How to get professional ink in water commercial photos with almost no budget

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In honor of Inktober, Isaac Alvarez of UNPLUG Production made his own ink-related project. But rather than making an ink drawing, he focused on commercial watch photography. He used only a simple two-light setup and some super-cheap items, most of which we all have lying around the house. Despite the low-budget setup, the results are professional-looking, so let’s dive in and see how he did it.

How to deal with tricky reflective surfaces and create stunning product photos

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When doing product shots in the studio, reflective surfaces could be very tricky to handle. But of course, there are methods to deal with them and light them to show all their beauty. In this video, Dustin Dolby of Workphlo shares a comprehensive tutorial on lighting and photographing tricky, reflective products. And what’s more, you don’t need fancy gear. Prepare simple lighting modifiers, your DIY spirit, and Photoshop.

My three years without a photography agent

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In September 2016 my Photography Agents, Vaughn-Hannigan, abruptly closed their doors after 10 years in business. Since then I have been without an agent, representing myself, and I thought I would look back and ask the question which has been lingering with me through this time:

To Agent or not to Agent?

How I photographed this $5 watch to look like a luxury product shot

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The cheapest watch I could find, that was my mission! I decided I wanted to create a magazine advertising image using a really cheap watch, my goal was to replace the luxurious and expensive aspect of the image with a unknown brand but still maintaining that feel of expense and luxury in the final shot, also to focus on the photography and the importance and impact it has on advertising.

Getting creative with one light

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So you have just picked up your first light or you have had one light for a while now and you are wondering what more you can create with just that one light, well you can create LOADS.  I see many post/comments saying they can’t do that as they only have one light and while it is more efficient using more lights in certain situations it really is quite amazing what you can create with just one, so my best advice is to get out and shoot loads, experiment and fail as many times as you can, because honestly you will learn more this way and the experience gained will stay with you, In this post I will show you just a few ways I have created images with one light, now this is no tutorial more a post on ideas to try . If you want to jump straight to the video for this post click below.

How to approach commercial product photography to achieve the best results

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Commercial product lighting is very challenging. Whether you’re shooting stills or video, you never know what type of product you might need to shoot from day to day. It often presents unique challenges for you to overcome, too. Not least of which is satisfying your client’s personal tastes.

In this video, Aputure’s Valentina Vee talks with cinematographer Brent Barbano about how to light products to make them look amazing. And how to make you look amazing to your client.

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