As a commercial photographer, I’ve learned that it’s best to stick to what you do best. Trying to overextend your skill-set and take on too many genres of photography can lead down the path of being a “jack of all trades, master of none” – or a mid-level photographer.
No one wants to be or work with a mid-level photographer. Your 12 year old with drone and an iPhone is a mid-level photographer, let’s face it.
*Note – if you want to cut right to the chase and book a commercial head-shot session for you, your team, or office, reach me at: Darren Loveland, (707) 363 – 2489 or [email protected])
I do not photograph weddings, I do not photograph sporting events, I do not photograph mother’s to be with enchanting backdrops and surreal looking ambiance, I do not photograph fashion run-ways, I do not photograph shiny cars.
I photograph beautiful places/properties and candid lifestyle. It’s what I’m good at and it’s what I continue to train, learn, and expand upon.
With that being said, I’ve learned that there are a handful of genres that can overlap or expand within.
For example, after I learned to photograph interiors and architecture for luxury real estate, interior designers, custom builders, etc; I found the skill-set to be quite similar to high-end landscape photography. You mount the camera on a tri-pod, utilize a remote shutter, set your aperture to capture as much depth-of-field as possible, and take your time to compose something beautiful. While I do not shoot landscapes professionally, it’s become a great hobby and sometimes projects I take on have some landscape photography elements (working with wineries and their beautiful vineyards for example).
Shooting lifestyle (mostly commercial marketing photography for local businesses, wine country lifestyle for wineries, etc) I’ve found that people are usually the centerpiece of my work. The cellar master hard at work in the family winery, the A team tending to the vineyard at sunrise, the charming wine educator in the tasting room, the model couple sitting back on the patio enjoying wine and cheese. These are all elements that I commonly photograph in my commercial lifestyle work. I love this type of work and people tell me I have an eye for it, so it’s become a primary focus in addition to my estate photography.
As a result of working with and photographing people in their element, I started to realize that professional portraits might be in the loop as well. As fate would have it, over the past year I started receiving several inquiries to do so. “Hey I loved the work you did with <insert commercial client> can you do a head-shot for me?”
So I went to work. I studied the concept, practiced practiced practiced and eventually invested in the appropriate equipment, lights, backdrops, and of course some of the most expensive camera lenses I currently own (still paying those off, eek!).
After several successful photo shoots for commercial portraits and head shots, I’m proud to announce the service formally in 2019. We can shoot on site at your office, or off-site in natural light at a location that represents you or your brand (nature background, vineyards, near the coast).
If you’re interested in a commercial head-shot session for yourself, your team, or entire office, I would love to be of service. I work in the Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and nearby areas. I’m quick and fun to work with, and I promise to deliver great results that you will be proud of. Feel free to reach out with any questions or inquiries:
Darren Loveland
(707) 363-2489 or [email protected]
