What’s it like being a commercial photographer in 2021?
Want to see my favourite photos of 2021?
Click the button below
Being a commercial photographer in 2021 has been tough. Covid restrictions closed many long standing clients businesses, so I was thankful to start working with some incredible new ones.
A year into the pandemic, with the effects of Brexit impacting hard, it was clear that businesses continuing to invest in marketing were going to succeed, whilst those that withdrew investment were going to reduce their influence, losing valuable customers & staff to competitors.
What has changed being a commercial photographer in 2021?
I have to wear a mask and show my Covid vaccination pass before photoshoots. Some regular customers have increased in girth, sporting a lockdown body. Their hairstyles are incredible – I’m seeing many more mullets. Whilst others have embraced a healthier lifestyle, fully committing to a fitness regime and eating better – or eating their own home grown food.
As many of you know, I also have a family portrait business, which has suffered a massive reduction in trade. I have heard similar reasons – lockdown bodies and a general malaise stopping people booking shoots, but their dogs, thankfully, were not so fussy. I have photographed loads of dogs this year. You can see some of them here:
Wearing a mask has made me hyper-aware of how much I use facial expression to engage the subjects of my photos. Interacting with people with half my face covered is a challenge. Also, I am bored of shooting stuff through plastic screens and being asked to “not make it look too covidy..” I get it, you might want to use these photos once the pandemic is over, but for now, let’s work with what we’ve got, eh?
What is the same about being a commercial photographer in 2021?
Companies I work with invest in marketing and are thriving because of it. Creation of engaging posts, featuring high quality photography and video, backed up with content that is valuable to their audience, means they are securing sales and bookings from customers reacting to and engaging on social channels.
What my clients struggle with:
- What to share on social media
- What stories to tell online
The solutions remain the same:
- Celebrate staff
- Show new innovations
- Share high quality imagery & video of products
- Show how you raise standards in your industry
- Show how you reward staff loyalty
- Report exceptional customer care stories
All of which proves to your customers that you are making a real effort to be the best you can be. Prove to your customers that you’re striving to be a great business to work for. Prove to customers that you are striving to be a leader in your industry. To set the standards and not just work to them.
If customers can see that they are valued, you’ll be perceived as a great brand.
If you build it, they will come:
I really hope you got this film reference – If not, it’s from Field of Dreams and it’s an epic movie.
People will react to a shift in your social and website content – up the game, build your following, construct a strategy and if you build it, they will come..
Tell stories, show people what you do and who you are. I talk about this all the time. It’s proven. It’s a workable strategy for any business.
Businesses, large and small, are using Avant Commercial to create and build their influence across the digital landscape.
You can, too.
Get in touch with me by sending me an email, or WhatsApp me and I’ll send you a link to photography packages for your business.
Follow Avant Commercial on social media.
Want to learn more about Avant Commercial services for your business?
You can download the commercial photography & video packages here: