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Advertising/editorial photographer: Job description and activities

Advertising/editorial photographers provide photographs for a variety of publications, from Sunday supplements, to special interest magazines and the trade press.

These two areas of photography have different focuses: editorial photographs illustrate stories in magazines, whereas advertising photographs encourage readers to buy products and services. There are, however, crossover areas referred to as 'advertorial', where product pictures appear beside a promotional, but informative, article.

From the photographer's point of view, the key difference is the amount of money spent on these two areas of work, with advertising enjoying far greater expenditure and being seen to be at the glamorous end of the industry. Advertising photographers work either freelance or for a specialist studio.

Typical work activities include:

• taking pictures in studios or on location;
• working from sketches drawn by art directors and converting these ideas into images;
• working closely with other professionals, such as stylists, picture researchers and editors;
• developing skills and expertise in using lighting - this is important for photographing items such as cars, glassware and china, as objects that reflect a lot of light present considerable technical challenges.

The Association of Photographers (AOP)  is the trade association mostly strongly connected to the advertising sector.

For more information see Photographer.

AGCAS

Written by Ivana Morton-Holmes, AGCAS

Last updated:

July 2009

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