Portrait photography has become increasingly popular over the years, as more people need these images for personal branding on social media and at work. Portraits aim to communicate something about the subject, whether that be their story, identity, or personality. However, not all portraits are the same, and in this blog, we’re diving into two different types of portrait photography: editorial and commercial.
Editorial Portraits
Editorial portraits tell a story about the individual; they show the person’s mood, character, and role. They often evoke a feeling and can make the viewer reflect on the image they are seeing. For example, Derek recently spent time shooting editorial portraits in Chinatown (shown in the first image below). As you can tell from looking at all of these images below, they evoke a strong personality and mood. Editorial photography makes a valuable impact as they offer a little more depth to the story we are telling, whether from the environment a subject is situated in, how they are posed, or how they are connecting to camera. Moreover, in this style of photography, the person may not be looking to camera, their face may be in light or shadow or in profile.
Commercial Portraits
As opposed to editorial portraits, commercial portraits include photos of individuals used for business purposes, typically to introduce or identify team members at a company internally or externally. Portrait photography of this nature should convey warmth, approachability, trustworthiness and connection to the person while maintaining brand standards and guidelines. Additionally, they should have a consistent look and feel across a team website page, marketing or social media. They can be used in the studio or on a consistent background. See examples of Derek’s commercial portraits below.
In conclusion, not all portrait photography is the same! It is important to know the difference between editorial and commercial before booking your photo session. So, which one tells your story?
Are you interested in having portraits taken? Connect with us to discuss your project needs! Contact Derek at 250-508-3762 | derek@derekford.com