Almost everyone in Culver City will hire a professional photographer at some point. Even if they have someone within their family or close circle of friends that is good with a camera, there are certain aspects of photography that only professional photographers can provide.
Photography is an art form and a technical endeavor. This combination means that a certain level of mastery must be achieved to be a professional photographer, particularly for someone who wants to work in a competitive market like Culver City or Los Angeles. Reliable excellence in photography is what sets professional photographers apart from hobbyists.
Culver City is filled with creative professionals and business people of all types, not to mention actors and other aspiring stars that call Los Angeles home. As discussed in a previous blog, headshots are for everyone now, not just for actors. Those who call Culver City home are signing up to compete with the best in the business, so every aspect of their marketing strategy must meet the highest standards.
Since headshots are such an important tool in conducting business, it’s important to work with a professional photographer that can provide the quality images needed to project an image of success. In Culver City, professionals can’t afford to cut corners or go the budget route. Everyone in Culver City and in the Los Angeles region in general has plenty of competition, no matter what their area of expertise may be. There are simply certain types of photography that require the equipment and expertise that only professionals can provide.
What is a Professional Photographer?
A professional photographer is someone who has dedicated their time and energy to mastering photography for the purpose of making their living as a photographer. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they call upon to give their clients the best results possible. Photographers are always looking for new ways to improve their skills. A professional photographer is usually well-educated, however there are different routes to becoming a photographer, and some may have learned on the job or even be self taught. With the wealth of knowledge available on the internet, a dedicated student can learn much simply by having a rigorous process of home education combined with trial and error in the area of photography they wish to work in. The main thing to know about professional photographers is that they know how to capture aesthetically pleasing images that satisfy customers and bring in more clients.
Culver City Photographers
What sets Culver City Photographers apart from photographers who may work in smaller cities? It has a lot to do with the market here in Los Angeles. If a photographer is conducting business in a smaller town, the majority of their work will center around family events – weddings, bat mitvahs, and family portraits. They may also include headshots within their repertoire since LinkedIn is everywhere, and some may include real estate images as well.
Culver City is a different market, however. While we certainly have photographers who focus on family events, there are many other options available to photographers in Culver City and in Los Angeles at large.
Types of Photography in Culver City and Los Angeles
In a large market like Los Angeles, there are many opportunities for commercial photographers. One area that has grown exponentially in the last decade is e-commerce. E-commerce is shorthand for “Electronic Commerce.” Put simply, selling things online.
Brands that used to pour all of their efforts into storefronts, print advertising, and mailers are now doing a large portion, if not all of their business online. A website for a retailer is the new storefront. The images that a photographer provides are what helps customers decide if they will make a purchase.
The next blog will dive deeper into E-commerce, but for the purpose of this article, it should be noted that Culver City is an excellent place for a photographer who specializes in e-commerce to conduct business. The reason is that Culver City is centrally located within Los Angeles. While technically considered the “west side,” Culver City is between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Both downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica are home to a variety of e-commerce operations. This makes samples deliveries and client meetups convenient for all parties.
E-commerce might mean working with large companies like Nordstrom, Nike, or Amazon, or it may mean working with smaller brands. Many small businesses are located in Los Angeles. These can be some of the most satisfying clients to work with because the photographer knows that the images they provide directly contribute to the success of a small business owner. The images featured in this blog are all from small business owners shot at my studio in Culver City https://sonyabowman.com/.
In addition to e-commerce, photographers may also specialize in headshots, as mentioned before, advertising or any number of niche markets. Some photographers may only shoot food, others cars, others jewelery. In large cities like Los Angeles, there is so much work available that a photographer can specialize as much as they like. At the end of the day, however, all photographers rely on the same tools. The next part of this blog will discuss what makes Culver City such a wonderful place for photographers of all types to conduct business.
Resources for Photographers in Culver City
One of the best things about Culver City for photographers is our natural resources. Being closer to the water makes Culver City cooler than downtown Los Angeles or any of the Valley areas. Those ocean breezes also mean more moisture in the air, leading to a more verdant environment in comparison to other areas of Los Angeles. Southern California is primarily a Mediterranean climate. Areas closer to the water have more trees and plants in general due to the moisture in the air blowing in from the Pacific Ocean. Operating a studio in Culver City means open windows, sunshine, and fresh air for 10 months out of the year. This pleasant work environment is a wonderful way to spend one’s working hours.
Culver City is also home to a quaint downtown area. With variety of coffee shops, restaurants, and flexible workspaces, there is no shortage of options for taking casual meetings or even capturing a few “street style” photographs. Culver City is home to Sony Pictures Studios, The Culver Studios, and many other production facilities, so there are a lot of creative individuals working in Culver City. For photographers working in Culver City, there are plenty of restaurants to call upon for lunch delivery, no matter how strict or particular a client or staff’s diet may be.
As noted previously, Culver City is centrally located in Los Angeles, making it an easy commute to other areas around town. While the Culver City Samy’s had to shutter its doors during the pandemic (RIP Culver City Samy’s!) there are two other nearby locations. In Playa del Rey there is the rental house. All photographers have a variety of equipment, but there are always going to be certain jobs that require a particular tool that the photographer may not personally own. Another time a photographer may use a rental house is in the unfortunate event that a photographers equipment goes down in the midst of a shoot. Accidents happen, equipment eventually wears out, and a professional photographer never wants to leave a client waiting, ticking away expensive hours as crew and talent standby waiting for the problem to be resolved. In that case, having a rental facility such as Samy’s nearby can be absolutely essential in conducting a successful business. Whatever the case, a quick phone call and a 10 minute drive means that the photo shoot can be back up and running in no time.
The Play del Rey location of Samy’s is handy and nearby, but aside from seamless paper and gaffer’s tape, they don’t offer much else in the expendables department. (Expendables are items that get used up and need to be replaced). For those needs, the Samy’s flagship store on Fairfax near the Grove is there for Culver City photographers. The Fairfax store has everything that a photographer could need, including gear for the photographer to test and compare before making a big purchase.
Culver City itself is home to lots of creative professionals, so whatever crew or talent a photographer may need to hire, they don’t have to look far. Stylists, photo assistants, art directors, creative directors, producers, production assistants, and clients themselves are all calling Culver City home. Even if they don’t live within the boundaries of Culver City itself, this is where a lot of productions take place, so the talent and crew will be used to coming to Culver City for various jobs.
As you can tell by now, I’m a big fan of Culver City, not just as a base for business, but a place to call home. There is the feeling of a small town in a much bigger city, with plenty of outdoor activities and excellent schools. Culver City may not entice as many tourists as other, more well known parts of Los Angeles, but for locals, it is an enticing place to live and work.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog detailing what makes Culver City such a great place for photographers to work. The photographs featured in this blog are all local women business owners. These images and those in my portfolio were shot at my studio in Culver City or in nearby areas. You can see examples if you visit my website at https://sonyabowman.com/.