Opinions, advice and commentary about Photography, Modeling and Acting.
Generally speaking, lifestyle photography shows people in action, often outdoors engaging in regular activities. However, studio shots can also reflect great editorial photography, usually illustrating certain products or fashion accessories. Consider the following photos that are both indoor and outdoor shots.
Art directors use the term editorial photography to describe the type of lifestyle photos that can be used to advertise a company’s products or services. Generally speaking, the style uses images that are designed to show people in ordinary situations. The purpose might be to sell an idea or more specifically a product that shows people doing activities or in situations that tell a story. For example, a woman relaxing on a park bench might illustrate peace of mind (life insurance) or simply better quality of life (some kind of hygiene or health-related product). Retailers use this type of photography often to sell clothing because it shows the lifestyle or happiness you would enjoy when you purchase their clothing. Below are some sample lifestyle images. What does it take to sell you on a product?
Probably never. That’s the easy answer. As long as cameras exist, photographers will shoot for free and people will want to mug for the camera. When it comes to professional photo shoots, even the old adage, “you get what you pay” for doesn’t really apply. To test this theory, I recently went through the process by acting as a “talent” in need of photos and posted a note to Craigslist. In less than a few hours I was inundated with free photoshoot requests. I took several of them up on their offer and over the course of two weeks was involved in multiple photoshoots. The results ranged from simple outdoor candids by amateurs to studio shots by pros. Most results were positive, but not all. I’ll post one example here. The bottom line is you are getting the sum total of the photographers experience and taking a chance on the opportunity to collaborate with their creativity. Call it chemistry, mood, humor, attitude emotion or whatever. I believe the best shoots are helped by all of these in addition to makeup, styling, wardrobe–but are best enhanced by a connection or kinship that you develop and share between the photographer and the subject. What do you think?
Photo Theatrics 