What is Advertising Photography? Differences in Commercial and Catalog Photography

What is Advertising Photography? Differences in Commercial and Catalog Photography 900 900 Studio Concept S.r.l.

Marketing times have by now been reduced to a few fractions of a second, attention is captured by a thousand stimuli at the same time with the effect that the efficacy of an advertisement is played out in the instant the image is displayed. The targeted approach to product photography can make a difference, let’s see why.

At Concept snc, we make graphics for designing cosmetic packaging visually pleasing and appealing. We try to distinguish ourselves from the competition by creating quality photos to positively impress potential buyers.

You can take a look at our services and projects already carried out for our customers in the area of Cosmetic marketing projects and works.

Commercial photography: what are the characteristics?

Plays of light and shadow, contrasts and backgrounds but above all enhancement of the product are the basic conditions of a valid commercial photographic offer. Starting with a simple definition might be the most effective approach to establishing the line demarcating the world of commercial photography. Technically this is the area in which the photographic image is neutral, precisely because it is aimed at the preparation of brochures and catalogs but also of descriptive product prints.

By seeking the most commercially effective mix, glamor and still-life photography contributes to transferring the ability to convince of its added value to the product. It is a powerful photograph, which portrays the image not just to describe it but to leverage the suggestion of the possible client. The commercial image, therefore, becomes powerful, and convincing and succeeds in a simple instant as it transfers the emotion into a shot that manages to enhance the characteristics of the product.

Still-life cosmetic product photography: what is it?

Still-life is the genre that allows photography to interpret the description of an inanimate object, it is a true art form particularly suited to the world of commercial marketing. Regarding the cosmetics field, the colors and the aesthetics of the product can convey an even more powerful message than the product itself. The work starts from the design of the photographic set, the aim is in fact to overcome the neutral barrier of commercial photography. To the simple emotion of the subject, the art of photography adds juxtaposition in a stylistically captivating context.

Each shot starts from a well-defined concept, the settings are inspired by the colors to convey a message to the potential customer.

Opting for the still-life solution involves a targeted study, based on the right mix between pure photos and advertising contaminations. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most chosen paths when it comes to launching a new cosmetic line. Useful to reinforce the impact of the message, the inclusion of models can strengthen the strength of the campaign. Much is entrusted to the design but it is the post-production phases that determine the actual impact of the final result. Here, art requires experience.

Contact us and we will be happy to put our twenty years of experience at your service.

Portrait photography: what is it?

The graphic project can acquire gender influences to strengthen the intensity of the message. Here the skills of the commercial photographer must cross over into the field of advertising portraiture. Where the magic of light and shadow, the design of perspectives, and the strength of post-production are entrusted to the portrait, the enhancement of a commercial campaign requires that the product be stripped bare to enhance its characteristics even more directly.

Wanting to put the mixing of techniques into context in the field of cosmetics, the portrait goes as far as bulk photography. Here are born the color effects of a lipstick that comes out of its package, an eye shadow with its reflective details, or a cream spread over a surface. Commercial photography is therefore enriched by the characteristics of the portrait to further enhance the concept of texture, response to light, and the lively consistency of the product.

Food photography

The branch includes a particularly articulated panorama, there are many traits that commercial photography shares with portraiture applied to food. More properly framed in the field of still-life, this is an example of how the image can evoke sensations that go far beyond the perception of light. The photo of a sweet evokes the taste, that of a drink can almost inspire the aftertaste. This is the example we need to put into words all the power of well-calibrated commercial photography.

Contact us and we will be happy to put our twenty years of experience at your service.

Editorial and commercial photography, the differences

A world apart is the editorial photo, which is enriched by a real narrative. Where advertising photography aims to promote a product using an element that can be associated with the characteristics, the editorial trend shifts the focus expressly to the narrative element. An example is the photograph associated with an article; the strength of the image has the effect of explaining with a strength almost comparable to that of writing. Editorial photography is therefore about the content just as advertising photography is about the emotion that the target associates with the product.

The technical aspect clearly distinguishes the preparation of an editorial photographer from a commercial one. The settings of a commercial photo can sometimes be outdoors but the presence of a model is not expressly required. Editorial photography, on the other hand, is bound to the subject of the narration but also broadens the attention to the field that surrounds it. The differences between the two types of photography are clear, which is why the editorial shot may be intended for a magazine article but would be completely inappropriate for an advertising campaign. Focusing on the differences is as essential as making use of the appropriate professionalism to hit the target, even through images.

Contact us for more information or if you have a communication project that involves the creation of still-life photos for cosmetics, emotional photos, or advertising photos. You can see some of our work here.

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