When asked to photograph products where a water droplet effect is required, we always reach for the glycerin. Rather than use pure water, which experience shows will bead off before you get a chance to depress the shutter, we recommend using a glycerin solution. We always take some time before a photo shoot to get the mixture right: not enough water, and the solution squits out in gloopy globs, too much water and the solution rolls off the surface to quickly. Apply using a fine pump spray about 10-15cm away from the surface, and use wide steady sweeps past the bottle a little at a time. Both the pump bottle and the glycerin are available from good chemists.

We often are asked how to go about choosing the right commercial photographer for your needs, and it can be a difficult and time-consuming task. To help you make a choice we’ve highlighted a few points to look out for when selecting a photographer.

Lets pretend for this exercise that you are either a commercial business requiring photography of an event or for a new marketing campaign, or perhaps you’re a design or advertising agency tasked with finding a good photographer who will suit your client.

Different ways to find a commercial photographer:

Personal recommendation
Always a great start, if you know someone who has used a photographer and rates them highly, head there first.

Try a Google/Yahoo/MSN search
Often a favourite for pushed-for-time designers and Art Directors, it can get you good local photographers quickly if you keep your wits about you. We often point people to a photographers website, and many fall at this first hurdle with poor sites that aren’t updated, or difficult to navigate. It’s up to you in terms of judging a photographer by his/her website.

Working with your photographer

Any photographer will benefit from a well thought out brief, either emailed or printed out, outlining briefly what you would like from the photo shoot ie: a range of images reflecting the external and internal features of the new building. It is a good idea on this brief to include the address and postcode for the photographer, as well as two contact telephone numbers.