Monday, April 11, 2011

What It Takes To Become A Commercial Photographer In Seattle

By Gracie Kelly


If you are interested in pursuing a career as a commercial photographer in Seattle, you will find the competition stiff but, if you earn a good reputation, you can do extremely well. This branch of photography focuses on pictures for advertising, brochures, books, or magazines. You could be called upon to shoot images of anything from fashion clothing and products, to buildings, cars, or landscapes.

Because the photographic techniques of commercial and industrial photography are similar, it is not unusual for photographers to focus on both these fields. Industrial photography involves taking pictures of anything that relates to an industrial company. This could include machines, equipment, employees, and products. No matter what branch of photography you choose to specialize in, the primary objective is to capture high quality visual images.

Most professionals work for themselves and are familiar with the latest technology. Apart from a range of cameras, they use many other pieces of equipment to achieve desired results. These include different types of film, flash guns, an assortment of lenses, lighting, filters, and tripods.

The most important skills for this career are creativity and technical knowledge. The ability to take pictures in natural light, as well as studio lighting, is essential. Although much of the work is done with automatic cameras, a commercial photographer often finds it preferable to use a camera that is manually operated. This provides a lot more freedom to manipulate speed, focus, and aperture settings.

For the same reason, photographers also often prefer to use a traditional film camera for some jobs instead of a digital camera. Once the shoot is over, the color film is developed and processed at a professional photographic laboratory. Most photographers process and print black and white images themselves.

Technological advances in this industry have facilitated many new avenues for photographers. Today, they can scan negatives for conversion to digital formats. This enables the photographer to manipulate and edit the images using computer software programs. To do well in any area of photography, some form of training is essential. It's all very well having a good eye and natural flair, but a lot of technical know-how is required.

To launch your career as a commercial photographer in Seattle, you need to send samples of your work to various agencies. Generally, professional photographers are self-employed and do freelance work for regular clients. In addition to having the ability to take outstanding pictures, some other knowledge is required. You need to know how to submit bids, keep financial records, and have a good understanding of copyright laws.

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