Commercial Photography Online Portfolio Website

In essence, commercial photography is all about photos that are used for business purposes. Your clients could be multi-level corporations or individual entrepreneurs, but what makes this type of photography commercial is that it’s going to be used to attract clients to paid businesses.

There are endless ways in which photography work can be used for commercial purposes. Professional photographers can pretty much choose the type of photos they want to take, and then it’s just about getting creative with brainstorming about who your future potential clients could be. Before we get into all of the different niches you can focus on as a commercial photographer, we’ll start by discussing the two main types of commercial photography.

Now that you have a thorough understanding of commercial photography and the two categories of images you may be required to provide, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of how to actually get started on building up your portfolio website. Here are our 6 simple steps to creating a photography website that will make you stand out from the crowds and attract your dream photography clients.

Choose your niche.

From fashion to food, there are so many different kinds of photography that can be used commercially. You may not know right away which one you want to focus on, but a great way to stand out is by getting super specific about what kind of images you take. By choosing a niche, not only do you make marketing your photography services more straightforward, you also ensure that you’re only taking on work that you actually enjoy doing. There’s no point in trying to cater to every niche out there. Instead, figure out what you enjoy taking pictures of, and set up your photography website to reflect that.

Practice, practice, practice.

It may not be the most exciting advice, but the truth is that the only way to get good enough at what you do to work as a professional commercial photographer is to constantly work at improving your skills. Do some research into your niche to see industry standards, then get out there and start practicing! Make sure that you’re putting your own unique spin on things, while still creating quality images that any commercial business would love to use for their marketing campaigns.

Build your online photography portfolio website.

These days, you definitely don’t need to be knowledgeable about technology to create awesome photography websites that will have clients knocking down your door. Choose a website builder that allows users to fully customize their photography portfolios, so that you’re able to express your unique style and point of view through your portfolio.

Reach out to your networks.

Now is the time to make use of all of your connections! Send out a friendly email letting them know that you’ve started a brand new photography business, and explaining what services you’re offering. You can even make use of a friends and family discount or referral fees to encourage them to share your work with the people they know. Word of mouth is a great way to expand your client network, and happy clients are more likely to tell their friends about you.

Pitch to your ideal clients.

Let’s say the niche that you’ve chosen is male fashion photography. Start brainstorming types of people and businesses who would need that kind of photography. If you’ve set up your portfolio to reflect your niche and personal style, then start reaching out to your ideal clients! While huge fashion magazines may be out of your reach at first, you can try contacting local boutiques or small publications to get your foot in the door.

Keep updating your portfolio regularly.

As you get more practice and paying jobs, you’ll want to show off your progress on your portfolio. Include the names of the companies you’ve worked with, as potential clients will be impressed to see all of the businesses that are paying for your images.