The Commercial Photography Advantage

When I went on my first photo shoot with House of Nyght Falcon I was excited to see the process behind the magic. I felt a bit like Dorothy meeting the Wizard of Oz, peering behind the curtain to see how his tricks worked.

I’d been a long time appreciator of Nyght Falcon’s commercial photography, and as a writer that works with companies to help craft corporate messaging, I felt an affinity for how the artistic process enriches the branding experience.

Having known realtors before that routinely took photos of homes for sale, I was familiar with the quick and dirty aspects of framing a scene to make spaces look bigger or more inviting. But what was apparent the moment I set foot on scene with Nyght Falcon was that I was in another ball game. Helping to unload the equipment gave a sense of gravitas to what the team was setting out to do.

They were very patient with my questions along the way, explaining their process in a way that both highlighted how much is involved in staging business shots of magazines, but also how graceful a skilled practitioner works.

Some shots JD would let me look into the review screen afterward, and it would seem like a great one (to me). But he and Falcon would make an adjustment to the strobe intensity or positioning, noting subtle reflections or color inconsistencies. Sometimes I could see exactly what they were adjusting for, and other times it was mysterious right up till they showed me the revised shot and it was immediately clear where the extra effort served.

But How Does This Matter To Commercial Photography?

Particularly when the shots are going to end up in a brochure, magazine, or other such material, the imagery is more than just capturing the physical aspects of the space. When done well, the shot captures the soul of the room.

It’s both inviting and provocative, answering questions as well as eliciting them in a sense.

Is what you’re selling a warm, inviting space? Maybe you want to show off the high, vaulted ceilings. Are you looking to create an industrial feel, or show off the aged and historical surfaces? Really capturing any of this takes a real eye for angles — and a lot of technical know-how.

You know what they say about first impressions.

It’s just as true in a magazine or brochure, and when significant capital is on the line the difference between a passable shot and a truly emotional one can’t be understated.