https://www.mikeharrielphotography.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-10-25 https://www.mikeharrielphotography.com/blog/commercial-photography-creative-process monthly 0.5 2026-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/202ee887-d8e5-43ec-ae3a-985eb9fab0dd/Magazine+covers+%282%29.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography A successful commercial photograph begins long before the camera is lifted. It begins with an idea, a conversation, and an understanding of what an organization wants to communicate. For the past eight years, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce on the creative development and photography for the covers of its Magazine & Business Guide. Each edition has presented a new opportunity to tell a story—one that reflects the people, businesses, and community the Chamber represents. The business guide is one of the many benefits this chamber provides to its members. While the finished magazine cover is what readers ultimately see, there's an entire creative process behind those images. From developing the theme and preparing visual concepts to coordinating photography sessions, refining the final photographs, and preparing them for publication, every stage contributes to the finished product. For me, commercial photography is about more than creating compelling images. It's about understanding the client's objectives and translating their vision into photography that communicates with purpose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/22a904ca-9df9-4437-8f0e-a748cd77c22d/Magazine+covers+%282%29+copyconstruction+before+and+after.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography From Location to Final Cover The creative concept called for photographing construction executives at an active construction site. After evaluating the location and its visual possibilities, I developed the composition and directed the group to create an image that reflected the Chamber's vision. The finished photograph became the cover of the LAX Coastal Magazine & Business Guide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/e482d483-4aa5-4e2d-b65a-6d8e780635d2/Real+Estate+cover.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography From Concept to Final Cover For this real estate-themed cover, I photographed the location and created preliminary mock-ups to plan the composition before knowing how many participants would attend. On the day of the session, I arranged and directed eight real estate professionals, transforming the original concept into the final LAX Coastal magazine cover. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/57cebddd-d72e-4a83-97b7-67e984a57656/Entertainment+cover.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography From Individual Portraits to a Unified Cover Photographed at Hollywood Park Casino, this entertainment focused LAX Coastal Magazine & Business Guide cover brought together representatives from the Los Angeles Rams, Chargers, Clippers, Hollywood Park Casino, and COSM. Working within the Century Bar & Grill and Raise Lounge, I used the venue's distinctive environments to create individual portraits that reflected each subject's personality while maintaining a consistent visual direction for the final cover. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/a385c0a5-1bcc-4c74-8f9f-c6bf636cc1f6/before+and+after.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography From Original Capture to Publication-Ready Photography This comparison illustrates the transformation from the original photograph to the finished image. Through careful adjustments to lighting, color, composition, and overall presentation, I refine each photograph to support the creative vision while preparing it for the magazine's final design. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/41e05ee9-634b-41a8-b71d-05f9e2640a85/LAX+Coastal+cover+2025.jpg Blog - Beyond the Camera: The Creative Process Behind Commercial Photography The Finished Publication — LAX Coastal Magazine & Business Guide 2025 The completed cover brings together the original creative concept, location photography, post-production, and graphic design into a finished publication celebrating the fitness and wellness people and organizations of the LAX Coastal community. https://www.mikeharrielphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-for-a-professional-portrait-session monthly 0.5 2026-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/378944ed-0761-4fb7-b646-6d816590f004/Big+beautiful+hair_resize+copy_brightness.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/aeffeddd-9d6a-42c5-bd52-ac560e313305/casual+portrait-1.png Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/0fb99d29-947a-497a-a72e-4c6f7be01a6a/3+column+blog.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/9f450cd1-bd31-43ec-8f95-e2965bc979f5/Couples+Hero+expand.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/eb3b96d2-106e-47ff-b55a-0b9aef1e69f0/Sylvia.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/a949007f-be31-4e53-bc29-6bc05c311263/rea+%284+of+4%29.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/37af7bb2-30e9-4aa8-bb9b-fc0a8ae3db5c/cow+girl+Rae.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/f1a4c142-a0a4-4de8-9c62-8e776381dfcd/_Z919233_African+beauty_resize.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/cc09e2ba-c968-4e66-862c-8203d51b256d/roz_model-6+backgground+edit.jpg Blog - What to Wear for a Professional Portrait Session: A Photographer’s Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mikeharrielphotography.com/blog/fine-art-portrait-vs-traditional-portrait-whats-the-difference monthly 0.5 2026-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/aa957bd3-2993-451a-9f03-6379c4f00995/Lady+in+red+3.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? - Make it stand out Fine art portrait of a woman in red with dramatic lighting by Southern California portrait photographer Mike Harriel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/49a476c7-cc82-46ff-a81e-3f53e485cb8f/example+%282+of+1%29+copy.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/27dc9b5d-0f4d-431d-97d0-48a22dd701f1/angelique_final+copy.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/54bbbd41-f4ca-4de8-9236-77d717aaa7c6/Model+in+green.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/1784092884790-JHMTOI3OOP113DA5S1YT/Holloween+2025+%281+of+1%29+copy.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/1784092884473-R6ND527EEDVXVOVGH3KY/Island+girl+copy.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/1784092888036-NMEJACFJGCNJ8T9M8E1P/Power+couple_latest+edit+copy.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69ee7d6b091a596f85cc5d98/9f77f4a3-b3cc-401f-880c-4988d65949a3/african+girls_resize.jpg Blog - Fine Art Portrait vs. Traditional Portrait: What's the Difference? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. 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