Nowadays, more and more retail photographers are trying to make a shift into commercial photography to ensure they have a source of steady income. If you have been thinking of making a shift too, continue reading. In this blog post we will be sharing some niches of commercial photography to choose from and to get started.

First of all, commercial photography is about creating high-quality images for commercial purposes. And here are the most common types.

Fashion photography

Fashion photography focuses on the display of clothing, shoes, accessories and other fashion items. You can take photos for catalogs, lookbooks or advertising such as social media ads, banner ads or ads in fashion magazines. You may need to work in a team with a fashion stylist, makeup and hair artists as well as models.

Product photography

Product photography focuses on showcasing products in an attractive way to entice the potential buyers so that they will want to make a purchase. This type of photography requires that you get familiar with working in a studio using solid backdrops, props and studio lights. 

Headshot photography

It’s important to differentiate headshots taken for personal use and those taken for commercial purposes. Headshot as a type of commercial photography is taken for promoting products or services. The clients may use these headshots for a banner on the website or for a business card, flyers and other marketing materials.

How to choose your niche? 

If you aren’t sure which type of commercial photography to choose, ask yourself some questions. Firstly, think about your own lifestyle. Does it match the type of photography you want to do? Secondly, think about the clients you are going to work with. Are you willing to work with those clients and are you able to meet their needs? And finally, think about the people you are going to team up with. Are there any good professionals who you can trust to work with in order to produce the desired results?

Above all, and most importantly, just give everything a try to see what you love to shoot most. In short, it’s crucial to love what you shoot. If you choose something you aren’t comfortable shooting, you may subsequently end up either quitting or not producing a really great work.

After choosing a niche you like, you can start making a proper plan to get paying clients. Stay tuned, we will be sharing some tips to succeed in commercial photography. 

Read other blog posts to learn how Lenz studio can help you in your photography projects. Also visit our Instagram page to get some inspiration.