On-Location Commercial Lifestyle Photographer

My name is Randy Schwartz, and I am a professional commercial lifestyle photographer with years of large production experience in all types of locations. Today I’m excited to guide you through a bit of our dynamic approach to on-location commercial lifestyle photography. We’ll touch on some aspects of commercial photography that are unique to being outside the confines of our studio. It’s always quite an exciting production when are able to leave and it is filled with challenges that you don’t get when you are in the security of your space.

Once out of the comfort of our studio, we find there is freedom to explore various environments and capture real-life moments in both breathtaking and ordinary places. Whether it’s a residential home or the streets of the city or the wilds of the mountains, each location has to become a controllable yet serendipitous set for our talent. No matter where they are, they all bring many challenges. As a commercial photographer, I’m always open to that. It’s what makes location production thrilling.

One aspect of on-location photography that I truly cherish is the chance for storytelling through the power of place. As a Los Angeles commercial lifestyle photographer, locations here are truly unique and abundant and each contributes a distinct story. As a commercial lifestyle photographer, my role is to vividly convey stories intertwined with my clients product. With this client, locations are usually beautiful houses with great pools and need to convey a sunny, happy lifestyle. More on that in a minute. But in LA we also can find anything from modern cutting edge homes to east coast traditional houses to farms, lakes and beaches all with a few miles of each other. When the story changes we can change with it.

Some of Our Challenges

A commercial photo shoot on location can be unpredictable, filled with life style photography challenges such as navigating permits and logistics or adjusting to the whims of natural light. As mentioned, this client needed to convey vibrant lifestyle photography, but often have flat cloudy days. One of my superpowers in photography is that I’m adept at creating “sun when there is none!” I love when I client sees a flat scene in front of them, then they see the image on screen absolutely lit up and are just blown away. I am passionate about devising creative solutions, to be nimble and resourceful, ensuring that every piece of the puzzle fits. And believe me, when it all comes together, the sense of triumph is unmatched.

Getting out of the comfort of the studio into the real world of on-location commercial lifestyle photography is undeniably exhilarating. It doesn’t have to be stressful. Take what you know from your studio lighting and start with matching sun direction through windows or even outdoors. Don’t be afraid to go with hard sources for key lights and utilize soft sources for fill. Lighting up a room or large outdoor space gives you a chance to capture authentic moments, engage with the environment, and partake in visual storytelling that brings the essence of a location to life. The path may be challenging, but the outcomes are immensely rewarding. The ability to produce remarkable visuals in real-world scenarios is what distinguishes me in the field of commercial lifestyle photography, and for that, I am truly thankful. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss a project or just pick my brain.