What commercial photography is?
Commercial photography is photographic work done for commercial use, this includes magazine advertising, corporate publications, brochures etc. Commercial photography usually involves a client that wants to promote or sell a product.
Inspirational Commercial Images for Whiskey
Jon Paul Photography
Jon Paul photography
Albert Watson
Albert Watson photographed Macallan whisky and also the journey of how it was made. I find this extremely interesting and would love to try something similar to this.
This is a similar project to Albert Watson with his whiskey montage. It shows the provenience of the whiskey.
I found this image on flickr and it is quite similar to what we are doing with the scamp. But I feel the glass is to close to the edge of the image and could of been cropped better.
Websites:
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Pack Shots
I am going to take some pack shots of BNJ Whisky, before I can do this I need to research what pack shots are and it would be more credible if I knew the background of the whisky.
Back Ground on BNJ Whisky
The Bailie Nicol Jarvie was first produced in the 1890s and is a well respected blended
whisky. BNJ was devised by business partner Roderick MacDonald and Alexander Muir during
1893 in the Scottish town of Leith. BNJ Whisky was named after a character in Sir Walte
Scott‘s novel Rob Roy. A magistrate who came under threat with a wild, sword wielding
Highlander in a remote pub by setting his attacker's kilt on fire. This blend become less
popular in the 1970s and 80s. The company was reformed in 1994 by Nicol Anderson & Co. Ltd, also based in Leith near Edinburgh .
Bailie Nicol Jarvie is a sweet, smooth, premium quality blended whisky with notes of pears, vanilla, and smoke. It's a delicate blend of sweet Speyside, aromatic Highland and peaty Islay malts. This whisky is one of the highest malt contents of any blended whisky. The average price of this whisky is between £18-£20 a 70cl bottle.
After researching the brand in depth I couldn't find any real commercial advertising for B N J Whisky.
After researching the brand in depth I couldn't find any real commercial advertising for B N J Whisky.
Examples of pack shots
Pack shots are usually shot on a white back ground and show all the products details clearly.
I have created some of my own pack shots, I have used a variety of different lights and techniques, but I feel they haven't worked as well as I would have wanted them to.
PACK SHOTS
I have used continuous light soft boxes at either side of the bottle. I am unhappy with the reflection on the bottle.
I have used continuous light soft boxes at either side of the bottle.
I have used one continuous light soft box at the side of the bottle. One continuous light
One continous light at the side.
I wasn't happy with my final result, I thought the bottle could of been lit better so I tried a different approach and also used a light tent this would help reduce the reflection.
I created this image using a light tent, a soft box back lit and under lit. I used the spot remover tool in light room and used the brush tool to get rid of the light tent. I then added clarity to make the image sharper then used the brightness tool.
I used the same lighting technique and post production.
After I was happy with my final image, I thought I could make the images look a bit more creative in photo shop.
I created this in photo shop by creating three layers, adding each bottle to a layer and then with the side images of the bottle I reduced the opacity.
All these images were produced in photoshop by using the free transform tool. Not all of the images work but I thought I would try something creative
This is the contact sheet for the second photo shoot.
I feel that photographing this bottle has been quite challenging but it has learnt me an awful about photographing glass and also the commercial industry.
Now that I have finished photographing the pack shots and I am happy with my final result I have to present these images to Chris.
Then the next step is to follow the scamp and photograph them.
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Creative Shoot
This is the scamp I have to follow:
Now that I have finished the pack shot, I had to photograph the creative shot on location that had a log fire an. I tried my best to follow the scamps that we were given and here are a few shots from the shoot. For this shoot I took with me a soft box and a shoot through umbrella and was placed at either side of the bottle.
Creative Shoot
This is the scamp I have to follow:
Now that I have finished the pack shot, I had to photograph the creative shot on location that had a log fire an. I tried my best to follow the scamps that we were given and here are a few shots from the shoot. For this shoot I took with me a soft box and a shoot through umbrella and was placed at either side of the bottle.
Post Production - Increased the clarity, slightly increased the contrast and brightness, increased the vibrancy to make the image appear more warm then added a slight vignette.
Post Production - Increased clarity, added a slight vignette, desaturated the image to give an antique appearance, slightly improved the brightness.
After presenting the image to the lecturers my feed back was as following:
Negative
The image looked cold.
The label should have been more warmer.
It didn't look welcoming and looked like a drink you would have after a funeral.
It wasn't perfect to the scamp layout.
Positive
It was shot well with a good location.
It was quite a good image overall.
Good post production skills.
My mark for the this mini brief was 46%.
My mark for the this mini brief was 46%.
These negative and positive point are all taken on board for future shoots. This mini brief has really tested my photography skills with lighting and highly reflective objects. Initially I thought this brief was going to be lot easier with the scamp to follow but I have learnt an lot from it.
After presenting my images to the class my constructive criticism was as following:
The images was too dark which I agree.
The bottle and whiskey glasses weren't positioned exactly to the scamp.
There were no ice in the glass but there was.
There were reflections on the bottle which I agree with.
I made an average on their marks which was 59%. ________________________________________________________
After presenting my images to the class my constructive criticism was as following:
The images was too dark which I agree.
The bottle and whiskey glasses weren't positioned exactly to the scamp.
There were no ice in the glass but there was.
There were reflections on the bottle which I agree with.
I made an average on their marks which was 59%. ________________________________________________________
Commercial Awareness
What are the main risks facing our industry?
Photography has expanded and become more popular over the years so anyone think they can do the same job, so it leaves the question is there actually an industry nowadays.
Clients are expecting free work or a really low price for a high standard of work, photographers should not give into these demand because this will give photographers a bad name.
Quite a big issue arising is people stealing work off the internet and using as their own, copy righting your image is a good idea.
Being in a recession customers are not wanting to pay the correct amount for your work. Who is the customers nowadays.
How do you keep up to date with what is going on in the business environment?
I find that the internet is a huge part of being kept up to date. Also reading "The Times", photography magazines, facebook, forums and blogs.
What changes have there been in our industry recently?
Photography is always changing for example digital photography has taken over from dark rooms and negatives. I believe the future direction of photography is going to get more high tech cameras and soft ware.
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1867320,00.html
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My next aspect is to concentrate on what kind of photography I am going to do for the commercial brief but also find a way of collaborating it to my individual study and practice. I prefer it this way because it really helps me develop my skills for what I want to do in photography. As I am really interested in portrait and new born photography, I thought I could advertise toys or clothing maybe in the studio or on location as this would link the subjects together.
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Commercial Research
My next aspect is to concentrate on what kind of photography I am going to do for the commercial brief but also find a way of collaborating it to my individual study and practice. I prefer it this way because it really helps me develop my skills for what I want to do in photography. As I am really interested in portrait and new born photography, I thought I could advertise toys or clothing maybe in the studio or on location as this would link the subjects together.
Next clothing
The brand I thought I would look at is Next a high street brand , it has more than 500 retail branches across Britan. Next is accessible to everyone as you can also home shop through the catalogue and through the website. The company was first founded in 1864 by Joseph Hepworth in Leeds coordinating a range of stylish clothing, accessories and shoes just for women. In 1987 they extended their range with children's clothing, men's and the Next directory and nowadays Next has become one of the UK leading brands. They sell almost anything at present this includes:
Women's clothing
Men's Clothing
Children's Clothing
Children's Toys
Shoes
Electrical's
Flowers
Next Screen Shots
The reason I have chosen to look at this is because I like how they advertise their clothing in an lifestyle way which is current and fashionable. They started off with just plain garment photography, developed there photography into the studio with models so the viewer a better view of the garmet looks worn, nowadays it's more lifestyle photography and this is what I have a keen interest in.
They use a quite a cool tone preset and texture in their imagery which makes the advertise more appealing.
Women's clothing
Men's Clothing
Children's Clothing
Children's Toys
Shoes
Electrical's
Flowers
Next Screen Shots
The reason I have chosen to look at this is because I like how they advertise their clothing in an lifestyle way which is current and fashionable. They started off with just plain garment photography, developed there photography into the studio with models so the viewer a better view of the garmet looks worn, nowadays it's more lifestyle photography and this is what I have a keen interest in.
They use a quite a cool tone preset and texture in their imagery which makes the advertise more appealing.
Studio Advertising
Lifestyle Advertising
When photographing garment's it essential to capture all the detail, next provide a service so you can see all of these details before buying their product. Here are some examples:
Studio Garment photography
Lifestyle Garment Photography
Next usually use a shallow depth of field on the background and make the product they are selling in full view.
This is outfit that I am going to advertised.
I have taken some pack shots of the outfit so you can see the detail and these have been taken on a white background.
I have done a test shoot using clothing from the brand on location. What I wanted to achieve from the shoot was the product that I wanted to advertise in full view and a shallow depth of field in the background. I used a 50ml lens to achieve this.
I like the concept of the images because I believe you can really see what is being advertised but due to using such a small aperture some of the images are out of focus. Although a lot of images haven't worked out this has helped me from when do my next shoot. On the next shoot
I will increase the aperture slightly.
Contact sheets
For all the location images post production was as following:
Decreasing the colour temperature to give the image a cooler tone.
Adjusting the tone curve to improve contrast.
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Next Toys
As I want to specialise in newborn and children photography I thought about also advertising a famous brand of toys that appeals to the younger generation that are also sold by Next. I thought I'd have a look at "Megabloks" which is a very famous brand adored from newborn to about four. There advertising is quite basic which gives me better idea of what to promote. You can also see these being advertised in catalogues such as Argos, Toy super stores and baby and mother magazines.
These are screen shot of the Next Toys they offer a wide range of toys and gadgets for children.
This looks more like a pack shot, there advertising is very simplistic.
Here are the contact sheet for Next Toys. These where taken in the studio using a soft box and a shoot throught umbella.
Post Production:
Adjusting the colour temperture
These images of a childs bike was taken in an local woods.
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Other Advertisements
I have had a look at other brands and see how they have advertised their products.
Matalan is another leading UK brand which uses lifestyle type photography in their advertisements. They also use bright colours.
River Island has just recently added children's clothing to their range. They have used here studio using a white back ground, cool tones and props.
Mini Mode which is the Brand for boots also use studio.
Burberry have used location, I think this image works well with the shallow depth field.
Sketchers are a shoe brand world wide, they use studio with bright over saturated colours.
Clarks use mostly location, minimal crops and cool colours.
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Legal Restrictions
With all kind of photography there are always legal restrictions they are:
One of the biggest issue is copy right you must abide by the rules.
Making sure the images are appropriate.
When photographing children you must make sure you have their parents or guardians before taking the images.
Having permission to published an image in one form or another.
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Final Images
These are some of my final images.
I have taken these in the studio using the same outfit as the location. Even though Next don't use a lot of studio work I thought it would show a better range if I did so. I have taken them using a white background with a soft box and a shoot through umbrella. Post production has included slightly making the overall image brighter.
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Next Logo
I have aranged theese images so it looks like a page in one of Next catogolues pages, I have done this in lightroom then added the Next logo using Photoshop.
I have added the Next Logo to all of my final images so I know what it would look like as a real advert.
