How to Shoot for Brands — Jumpstart Your Photo Business

Let’s get this thing started! We’re in Norway shooting for Snow Peak, a premiere outdoor brand originating from Japan. You'll get to know Joel and learn a bit about Snow Peak as he dives into the topic of shooting for brands.

If you to shoot professionally then you need to find work. Joel breaks down what’s worked for him and how he landed his first client. He also dives into contracts, why they are essential, and why they shouldn’t be scary. Most importantly, he'll cover how to land clients even without a robust body of commercial work.

Planning and proper preparation can make or break a shoot for a brand. Joel runs through what gear he uses and how he plans for a shoot. He'll cover how to communicate with brands, the importance of understanding a brand's existing style, how to build shot lists, make mood boards, and find talent to ensure you capture all deliverables.

In our first shooting section, Joel takes us to the mountains of Norway where he's looking to capture inspirational hero images for Snow Peak. This segment covers posing your subject with product, locations, and what makes a hero image.

For our second shooting section, get a behind the lens look at Joel's process for capturing beautiful interiors and brand detail shots. He'll dive deeper into posing, how to find interesting light, and compelling texture as well as bracketing.

Now that we have our selects, let’s look at how Joel color corrects. When editing for a brand, the product comes first. In this segment you'll learn how to make the product pop, how to refine your image to fit the brand, how to highlight features and direct the viewer's attention, and lastly, how to create a unique look to your images without distorting the natural color.

The crew is long gone, but what good is taking incredible photos if you’re not sure how to deliver them? You'll learn Joel's tips for delivering your work to a client, how to organize your assets to tell a story, and his process for choosing the best images.

Finally, Joel will review what you've learned and how you can start shooting for the brands you love. Thanks for watching, don't forget to download the presets and extras!

Get a head start on the practical side of commercial photography. This lessons includes three downloadable templates Joel uses when working with brands—Contract Template, a Pitch Deck Template, and a Partnership Deck.

Need some guidance or a fresh take on your editing style? Apply the editing techniques Joel shares in the lesson with five of his stunning custom Lightroom presets.

Joel wrapped up the key takeaways from his lesson in an easy-to-reference 5 Tips PDF. Keep this deck handy when you're on the road and need a quick reminder of the lesson material.