Commercial Photography
by Sarah Fox

As a graphic artist and web designer, my photographic repertoir has slowly flowed into commercial photography, and I've been growing my capabilities in that direction over the years. I feel I am uniquely qualified as a "small and light" on-location photographer. Without too much pomp and circumstance, I can bring an extensive array of fully portable lighting equipment into your place of business and be well equipped for candid and semi-candid photography, semi-formal portraiture, and architectural photgraphy. I also have a broad array of equipment for doing product photography either in my studio or in your place of business.

One factor I think makes me a good commercial photographer is my attention to the objectives of the literature or web pages on which my photographs will appear. My clients often do not have a unifying objective when they hire me. They might, for instance, simply want photographs for the revamping or new construction of a web site, without any specific direction as to what they want those photographs to convey. I am then able to step into the potential customer's/client's shoes and ask myself what I would want impressions would make me feel confident about doing business with the company. For instance, if you needed root canal, I think you would feel positive going to the dentist whose practice I photographed above. Carefully examine all elements of the photos on that front page graphic. Every detail has its purpose, including the smiling patient and the absence of any drill.

I also think I am good because I am complete. As a web designer, I tend to think in terms of unified photo essays that lead the client through a network of web pages, so I leave the shoot with all elements that I or any other web designer would need for putting together a complete "story" on the company. That way there is no need for a re-shoot, saving my client money. I plan my lists of needed photos either from an inventory of the existing web page to be revamped or from a page tree I sketch out (if I am to be the new designer.) Often my clients don't see the value of these unified themes, but they tell me later that my work has presented a positive image of the company and brought them business. That gives me enormous satisfaction as a graphic professional.

Finally, I am an extraordinarily flexible resource for my clients. Unlike almost any other commercial photographer, I am willing to work with photographic material given to me by the client to make it ready for final presentation on the Internet or in printed literature. This includes any needed photoediting work and any graphic lay-ups or modifications I would generate as a web designer. There is considerable efficiency to be gained when the same person carries a vision from camera to graphic editor to web page. There is no ambiguity about what is needed at any stage in the process, and there is no need for conferencing between multiple project participants. No re-shoots are required because of the failure of the photographer's work product to meet the graphic designer's layup requirements. In short, what I offer my clients is the efficiency and cost savings of a small, light, one-person graphic arts operation.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your commercial photography needs with you. Please contact me to schedule a free consultation appointment.