Professional commercial photographers are classified as photographers who are paid for their images. Whether the pictures are fashion photos or snapped by paparazzi, any photographer paid for their work can be called a commercial photo professional. Some commercial studios produce amazing art, captivating us with their crafted capture. We focus on wildlife conservation and the far out and freaky. Here are 18 cool commercial photographers and 45 of their famous photos.
Polar Bears & Global Warming
(image credits:Howard Ruby)
Howard Ruby is an outstanding photographer who has commercially pushed the envelope in all areas of photography. He manages to capture the drama of the subject matter. He believes that an image can leave a lasting impression that far outlasts watching a video or hours of reading a book. He is on a visually supported mission to bring awareness to climate change and conservation programs. These images of polar bears and icebergs are from his Global Warming gallery.
Visions of the Wild
(image credits:Visions of the Wild)
Florian Schulz is another award-winning professional nature photographer with a mission to protect large endangered ecosystems. Schulz has photographed what he considers to be vital areas of unmatched biodiversity such as Yellowstone to Yukon, Baja to Beaufort, Canada, Mexico and Africa. He captures images to inspire and help preserve our natural world.
Go Ahead and Burn One: Smoking Kills
(image credits: Platinum,Carioca)
Some photographers are masters at giving us images that are visually stimulating if also somewhat shocking. In the top image, Platinum Studios in Rio de Janeiro constructs a commercial image of a bowling pin burning as if it were a cigarette. On the bottom are pictures out of Carioca Studios. This amazing photo production house, based in Bucharest, Romania, is highly specialized in advertising photography. From their Faces Gallery, a woman smokes while holding a baby, the smoke curling upward to form a halo above the child’s head. On the lower right, Golden Pig and Bitches, stuns us. It is one of four from that series to be ranked in Lurzer’s Archive Special Edition.
Save the Children: Shock Value
(image credits: Carioca)
Shock value practically shouts from these images and hits us as hard as a slap across the face. These photos of children are from Carioca Studio’s Save the Children campaign. In the top left, the girl is restrained with a tongue bit. The boy on the upper right looks to be in pain from the nose ring. On the bottom, two young children wear a yoke.
Save the Earth
(image credits: Platinum)
Platinum Image Conception Studio specializes in commercial photography, ranging from photography, post production and CGI. Platinum pioneered in Brazil the concept of integrated digital photography. It was started by Leonardo Vilela, Flavio Albine and Luciano Honorato. The Earth certainly appears to be in distress, based upon the images above. Each photo gives the Earth a grimmer outlook. The art director for these were Stepanie Lecoq and the client Douleurs sans frontieres.
Carioca
(image credits: Carioca)
Listed among the 200 best ad photographers worldwide, Carioca has shot for Kraft Foods, Nestle, Mercedes, Sony, and Yamaha to name a few of their clients. 12 people work at Carioca, working as a collective group and not singular identities fighting for credit. The top two photos were created for Toyota. The bottom image, shot for the World Wildlife Federation, took four or five days to complete. Carioca collected junk from Bucharest and spent days shooting and producing the pelican. There was extensive post-production work done on the image. Carioca is one of the coolest commercial photography studios anywhere on the globe.
Snickers
(image credits: Carioca)
In America, the above pictures do not immediately bring Snickers to mind. But in Europe, Carioca launched a successful Snickers campaign with these photos. In Romania, Carioca means felt pen. They chose that name so people could not hold them to a specific meaning, visual style, or philosophy. Recently a Carioca member who will remain anonymous told WebUrbanist, “Carioca is a photo production house. We have production, photo, postproduction, and CGI departments. We have here 3 in-house photographers (which are also the partners in Carioca, together with a production guy). We use to sign the works as Carioca (because indeed every visual is a collective work) and we like it to be that way.”
Fantasy and CGI
(image credits: Carioca)
Platinum Studio uses all available artistic means in order to best construct commercial images. They blend their visions to create an eclectic and diverse range of photos. Today, they excel in images developed with CGI and 3D tools. There is also a touch of the fairy tale element like in the top picture, remniscent of Rapenzel with a new rebel attitude. In the bottom photo, a hospital room is transformed with the use of Legos. And who doesn’t like Legos? They can cheer up any place or any image, definitely making it cool.
Save the Planet
(image credit: free photo resources)
On some sites online, these images are listed as amazing. Whatever all else they portray, these images hold terrific shock value. The point is to join the challenge for Earth. In the top left photo, an orangutan is drowned in the bathtub. The image states, “Having a bath instead of a shower destroys the planet.” The top right picture reads, “Leaving a light on for no reason destroys the planet.” The bottom image has the words, “Running a half-empty machine destroys the planet.” For more information, see defipourlaterre.
Water
(image credits: Carioca,Frederik Samuel,Platinum)
Water, we all need it to survive. It makes sense that water, liquid, is used in commercial photography. Again, regarding professional yet cool photographers, we look at the works of art by Carioca and Platinum Studios. In the top photo by Carioca, there is water available even on Mars. Platinum created liquid lips and even a match burning with a drop of water instead of a flame.
Altered Reality
(image credits: Carioca,Platinum,Carioca,Carioca,Platinum)
When professionals tweak images, the results are an altered reality. The above images are excellent examples of what isn’t real yet comes across almost believable. Carioca has come out with a cockroach posting a missing dog poster. They also tweaked a photograph with post production skill to show us a bear with hands folded and head lowered as it prays. Aye, even a pirate who instead of a hook for a hand now is ready to mix up a quick snack with that “hand.” Platinum worked out an entire city which is kept in a birdcage. Using CGI, they produced a science fiction future image as if it could be a snapshot from the future.
Better Run
(image credits: Platinum, Carioca,Carioca,Platinum)
Good health is maintained with proper diet and exercise. As for running, there are many reasons to do so. In the top left photograph, the Olympic races showcase cheetahs at the starting line. Beneath that, a superhero better “run” faster, or fly faster, to escape an approaching plane. In the upper right, a reason to run if ever there is one. A female walks down the stairs with a pistol-packing purse that waves a smoking gun. The bottom image in an amazing rendition of good heart and circulatory health, brought about by running.
