Introduction
Photographers spend a lot of time thinking about how to make a photograph. We talk about cameras, lenses, lighting, settings, editing, composition and all of the technical decisions that go into creating an image. But there is a question that needs to come before almost all of those decisions: What is this photograph supposed to do?
Not every photograph has the same job. An image created as art has a different purpose than a photograph documenting a championship run. A sale horse photograph needs to accomplish something different than an image created for a breeding campaign. A commercial client may need a photograph that works within an advertising layout, communicates a specific message or solves a business problem. In this Field Notes episode, we’re looking at why understanding the purpose of the photograph should influence how we approach making it.
IN THIS EPISODE
We look at the differences between art, documentation, marketing and commercial photography and why those distinctions matter to working photographers. Art gives photographers the freedom to explore an idea and make decisions based primarily on their own vision. Documentation requires us to recognize, anticipate and accurately capture what is happening in front of us. Marketing photography goes another step by asking the photograph to communicate something to a particular audience, while commercial photography requires us to use our creativity to accomplish a client’s specific business objective.
We also talk about why the photographer’s favorite image isn’t necessarily the client’s most useful image, particularly in commercial work. The photograph with the most dramatic light or interesting composition may not be the one that leaves room for advertising copy, clearly shows the product or communicates what the client needs their customer to understand. That doesn’t mean creativity stops mattering. It means creativity is being used to solve a particular problem.
Key Takeaway
A successful photograph isn’t simply the photograph photographers like the most. It is the photograph that successfully does the job it was created to do.
Understanding that job changes the decisions we make behind the camera. Sometimes accuracy matters most. Sometimes timing matters. Sometimes communication matters. Sometimes the client’s business objective determines the composition. And sometimes we are creating entirely for ourselves and are free to experiment without worrying about whether the photograph needs to accomplish anything beyond exploring an idea.
Why This Matters
Working photographers are hired for more than their ability to operate a camera. Clients are paying for our ability to understand what they need and translate that need into photographs that work for them. If we don’t understand the assignment, it is entirely possible to create beautiful photographs that still fail to accomplish what the client hired us to do.
That distinction is particularly important in equine photography because the same horse can be photographed for dramatically different purposes. A sale photograph, an editorial image, a horse show photograph, a stallion advertisement and a fine-art portrait may all feature exactly the same subject, but each requires the photographer to make different decisions about timing, accuracy, composition, lighting and presentation.
The Bigger Context
Understanding the purpose behind photographs also changes how we study other photographers’ work. Instead of looking at an image and simply asking what lens was used, how it was lit or how the photographer edited it, we can start asking why the photograph was created in the first place. Who was the audience? What was the photographer trying to communicate? Was the image documenting something, selling something, representing something accurately or exploring an artistic idea?
Those questions teach us much more than simply trying to recreate the look of another photographer’s work. Studying advertising, sports photography, editorial photography, photojournalism and fine art can all make us stronger equine photographers when we begin looking at the decisions behind the photographs rather than simply copying what we see.
Documentation teaches anticipation and storytelling. Marketing teaches communication. Commercial photography teaches problem-solving and client awareness. Art gives us room to experiment and develop our own visual voice. The strongest photographers can pull from all of those skills and understand when each one needs to take the lead.
Final Thought
Before worrying about the lens, lighting setup, camera settings or editing style, start with the assignment. Ask yourself what the photograph is supposed to accomplish.
Does it need to document something? Accurately represent something? Sell something? Communicate something? Solve a client’s problem? Or are you making it simply because you have an idea you want to explore?
There isn’t one universal definition of a successful photograph. Sometimes success means creating something beautiful. Sometimes it means creating something accurate. Sometimes it means creating something useful. And sometimes it means solving a problem the client brought to you.
The important thing is knowing which job you’re doing before you start making the photograph.
About the Equine Photographers Podcast
The Equine Photographers Podcast features conversations, interviews, and Field Notes exploring the business, craft, and future of equine photography. From workflow and pricing to industry trends and marketing, each episode is designed to help photographers build stronger, more sustainable businesses.
🎙️ Browse all episodes: Equine Photographers Podcast
📖 Read related articles at The Horse In Focus: