Module 10: Commercial Photographic Services

This module introduces the scope of contemporary professional photography, covering major genres including product, corporate, portrait, architectural, advertising, editorial, and specialist practices. It examines how photography is applied across commercial contexts such as e-commerce, social media, annual reports, and advertising, supported by industry case studies that highlight purpose, audience, and visual intent.

The module also focuses on portrait and client-based workflows, including domestic, corporate, environmental, and editorial portraiture. Key topics include portrait styles, working with clients, copyright and contracts, sales, and professional responsibilities. Pre-production and production processes are addressed through planning methods, studio and location workflows, tethered shooting, WHS requirements, and on-set time management.

Post-production and asset management form the final component, covering file ingestion, processing, retouching, proofing, and delivery. The module emphasises structured workflows, digital asset management (DAM), backup and archiving strategies, and risk mitigation to protect photographic work from data loss, system failure, and other professional hazards.

Module 10 Course Preview

Why This Module Matters

Build the practical, creative, and professional skills required to plan, produce, deliver, and protect photographic work across a wide range of real-world commercial contexts. In Module 10 you'll:

Develop an understanding of major commercial photography genres across different industries.
Learn professional workflows, from pre-production planning to post-production and final delivery.
Apply structured asset management, backup, and archiving strategies to protect photographic work.
Build skills for working with clients, managing contracts, and meeting legal, ethical, and workplace requirements.

What You’ll Learn

Commercial Photography Genres
Understand the key professional genres, their aesthetics, purpose, and target audience.
Professional Production Workflow
Learn how to execute projects from pre-production to post-production and delivery.
Client, Legal, & Business Practices
Develop knowledge of working with clients, contracts, copyright, sales, and more.
Post-Production & Asset Management
Gain skills in file processing, retouching, backup strategies, and digital asset management.

What You’ll Do

Local Hero Photo Essay
Create a heroic location portrait of a local hero for a hypothetical news website.
Cover A Local Event
Photograph a series of images of a local event with a consistent style.
Commercial Advertisment Shoot
Follow a brief and create an image to be used in an advertisement for a local business.
Domestic Portrait
Plan and photograph a professional standard portrait following a job-like brief.

Units Covered

This module integrates practical skills from the following accredited units:

CUAPHI523 – Employ colour management in a digital imaging workplace
CUAACD522 – Work with photomedia in creative practice
CUADIG415 – Produce innovative digital images
CUAIND412 – Provide freelance services
CUAPHI312 – Capture photographic images
CUAIND411 – Extend expertise in specialist creative fields
CUAPHI403 – Enhance, manipulate and output photo images
CUAPHI521 – Make illustrative photo images for publication and display
CUAPHI531 – Apply visual communication theory to photo imaging practice
CUAPHI533 – Explore and apply photo lighting techniques
CUAPHI535 – Produce commercial photo images
CUAPHI536 – Provide photographic portrait services
CUAPHI537 – Produce media photo images
CUAPPR511 – Realise a body of creative work
CUAPPR414 – Develop self as artist

These units are taught through practical tasks, interactive tutorials, visual references, carefully selected external links, and hands-on assignments, ensuring you develop both your analytical and creative abilities. Our modules combine high-quality images, diagrams and theoretical content in an easy-to-digest format.

Please note: The above list is not indicative of unit completion; most of our units are taught (in parts) across multiple modules.

Module Topics

In Module 10, we will cover the following topics and beyond:

Introduction
Genres
Product
Product Photography for Advertising
E-Commerce
In Context
Corporate
Portraiture
Events
Social Media
Annual Reports
Time-Lapse
Case Studies
Advertising
Architecture & Real Estate
Domestic Real Estate
Architectural
Portraiture
Domestic Portraiture
Specialist Genres
Portrait Workflow
Portrait styles
Copyright & Contracts
Working With Domestic Clients
Product Sales
Retouching
Corporate Portraiture
Headshots
Environmental Portraits
Retouching
Advertising & Editorial Portraiture
Advertising
Editorial
Media Photographers
Celebrities
Humour
Heroic

Animals
Pre-Production
Photographer’s Treatments
Mood Boards
Production Scheduling
Call Sheets
Equipment Lists
The Shoot
Studio
Shooting Tethered
Location
WHS
WHS In the Digital Age
Time Management
BTS
Post-Production
Ingestion
File Processing
Batch Processing
Proof Delivery
Retouching
File Delivery
Digital Asset Management
DAM What & Why
Hazards
Hardware Failure
Human Error
Software Corruption
Computer Malware & Hacking
Natural Disasters
Workflow
Backup Strategies
Backup Software
Recovery Software
Hardware Solutions
Archiving

Module Outcomes

By completing Module 10, you will:

Understand key commercial photography genres, their styles and unique industry attributes.
Gain confidence to execute professional photography briefs with specific deliverables.
Know professional methods to plan, produce, shoot, edit and deliver high-end images.
Develop organised processes for working with clients and manage all the related aspects, including contracts, copyright, sales and asset management.

Guidance Every Step of the Way

Our expert photography tutors will support you throughout Module 10 with all their professional experience. Understanding commercial opportunities, effective asset management, and professional workflows when dealing with clients are essential abilities to achieve commercial success in photography.