As a freelance photographer based in Derby I take on a wide range of jobs, including commercial photography. The work can come in many forms, but the main requirement is that the job precisely meets the brief, and is delivered on time.
Commercial Photography in Derbyshire
As an example, here are some photos produced for Safer Systems, a company based in Ripley, Derbyshire, but with a global distribution. They manufacture and supply security devices for vending machines and required high quality product photographs for a total re-design of the company website and product brochures.
The Commercial Brief
I had already shot a set of photos at an event for the Sales Manager, so was invited to tender for the job based on a personal recommendation (often the best way of securing work).
When they contacted me the Marketing Manager had a clear idea of what was required, and provided me with a lengthy list of the items to be photographed, ranging from tiny “widgets” to large vending machines.
It’s essential to have a clear brief, particularly when working in Commercial Photography, in order to understand what type of photos are needed and what they will be used for. In this case the Marketing Manager had clearly identified the individual products and the kind of shot required in each case.
Controlled Lighting on location
I used studio flash units for the shoot, in order to have consistent quality and colour balance across all the photos. They were taken in various rooms, and outdoors, at their headquarters.
The different locations presented some challenges in terms of the limited space available for my lighting equipment, but with some ingenuity and improvisation I managed to capture all the shots. These included some involving a young “thug” with a sledge hammer attempting to break in to a vending machine!
Selecting The Final Images
I shot several hundred images, including front, side and back views of some items, so I emailed thumbnails to the Marketing Manager. She selected a shortlist of over 100 photos. These included close-up product shots, posed photos of a model enjoying a cup of coffee from a vending machine, and sequential images of a device being locked and unlocked.
I then settled down to edit the selected photos – this involved checking exposure, contrast, colour balance and removing any blemishes (e.g. coffee splashes on the drinks machine). Some images also required cutting out from their background so they could be dropped into advertising material.
The final, high quality images were then sent to the company via DropBox, and are currently being used on the re-designed website and in their printed material.
Commercial Photography For Your Company In Derby
I am accustomed to shooting product shots, photographing industrial installations and working on location when necessary. I aim to have a fast turnaround with the photos, and understand the importance of meeting deadlines. Click here for more information on commercial photography in Derby, or contact me today on 07709 269577.
