Behind every effortless Instagram photo lies a carefully planned shoot with a branded message. We have top advice for commercial photographers to help you increase reach and improve storytelling

In today’s commercial photography sphere, shoots are fast, and change seems rapid. Years ago, a creative brief might have taken months to come together, with a collaborative back-and-forth process between a pro shooter and the client or agency. Today, social media (mainly Instagram), improved camera technology and the way that we consume media - on our screens rather than just billboards and magazines - means that the process has become much quicker, and arguably more democratised than ever before.

Social media has paved the way for a new, savvy kind of digital photographer - the content creator. Content creation can be applied to anyone who creates media - writers, bloggers, photographers and videographers - with a specific audience in mind.

Here we’ll be explaining the basics of modern content creation and how it works in relation to taking photos. Over the next few pages, learn how you can use your skills to thrive in this climate yourself.

Before you can create engaging (and profitable) content, though, you’ll need to understand the role of a content creator and realise that it’s about more than just Instagram likes. Creation and curation is a modern art form and a professional pursuit that requires a combination of different skills - creativity, organisation and even an understanding of data, to name a few.

You might picture a young, trendy, urban vibe when you think about content creators, but any photographer who is able to create comeback-for-more, dynamic and relevant content for both clients and audience can succeed.

We’re here to demystify some of the ways that you can get into content creation if you’re a skilled photographer or videographer, how to hone niche skills, and how to transition into the area from a more traditional approach if you’re already a commercial photographer. We also have a pro case study with content creator Keenan Lam on p76.