Houston Commercial Photographer

I am a Houston commercial photographer with 20+ years of industrial photography experience. I’m available for work across the Texas Gulf Coast, including Galveston and offshore.

I serve most industries and verticals, including energy, oil and gas (O&G), manufacturing, retail, health care, hospitality, small business, entertainment, aerospace, technology, financial services, trade, construction, chemical, and food service. I also love working with agencies and design groups.

You’ll find me out there every day documenting innovation, workforce dedication, industrial operations, construction, demolition, transportation, fabrication, production, drilling, maintenance, monitoring, demobilization, and decommissioning.

My passport is current if you need to send me to other countries.

Table of Contents

Commercial Photography Examples

For industrial and commercial photography examples, see my people at work portfolio, location photography portfolio, and product photography portfolio.

My work blends humanity, culture, business, and art—although I don’t like to call myself an artist. I think you’ll see the proof in my commercial photography portfolios.

Commercial Photographer Fees

My fee for short-term hourly commercial projects where usage doesn’t apply is typically $300 per hour.

I have a one-hour minimum for in-studio product photography and a three-hour minimum for most on-location work. Some location work requires a four-hour minimum. Usage fees may apply for companies with annual revenues > $500M.

For more pricing information, check out my commercial photography fee details. Or, for a custom quote, contact me today with your project details, and let’s get started.

Superior Results

My superior and authentic commercial photography will help you achieve your storytelling goals. Specifically, my dynamic photography of your facilities, employees, staff, and visitors will highlight your brand story.

These image assets will communicate your message in ways that words alone cannot. They’ll reflect the reality of your human-centric business using epic scale and unique perspectives to highlight your value-added offerings.

Rob was very easy to work with and it was clear that he takes a lot of pride in his work, making sure everything is set up properly to get the best photos. — Selling Time

Also, when you use “real photos” instead of stock photography, your authenticity will boost trust with your customers who view those images on your website, social channels, and print media.

Studies show that commissioned photography improves clickthroughs and visitor engagement compared to companies using stock photography. For example, MarketingExperiments ran a study where a generic male founder photo outperformed a stock photograph of an attractive smiling woman. Authenticity matters.

I’ll also research extensively and learn everything I can about you and your business. And that’s just one example of how we’ll collaborate more closely as a photographer and client.

Suppose you’re looking for a school, university, office, lab, warehouse, distribution center, plant, factory, refinery, port, storage facility, data center, TELCOM, stadium, assembly area, terminal, depot, offshore oil rig, onshore oil rig, machine shop, construction site, quarry, water treatment facility, shipyard, farm, ranch, hospital, or industrial facilities photographer. In that case, I’m ready to work on the ground or take to the air via helicopter or drone if you require aerial photography.

My professionalism, graciousness, preparation, and flexibility also ensure a successful, stress-free, and no-hassle project.

I’m your improvising, pivoting problem solver and long-term partner. I’ve got you.

Photographic Process

Part of my process is to understand your work throughout the whole lifecycle. That helps me offer visual insight into your project from your perspective rather than just sharing views through a photographer’s camera.

Whether you need candid, gritty, clean, or exacting images of machinery, facilities, or workers, I have the requisite experience required to elevate your project’s visuals.

I’ll also research your business and your competitors, ensuring exceptional collaboration and understanding. We’ll typically start with an email exchange outlining your project, then discuss your budget, and finally, we’ll finish with creative calls discussing your end treatment.

Specifically, I’m familiar with best practices for visually documenting processes, including planning, engineering, manufacturing, and showcasing your in-house technology.

You should expect inspiring work, timely communication, and guaranteed attention to detail instead of empty promises or marketing lip service.

Storytelling

My refined photographic storytelling approach engages viewers and offers both insight and context. These photojournalistic “photo essays” effectively communicate editorial, documentary, and branding-based objectives using authentic, accurate, and honest coverage.

Every image works together, while storytelling provides information and impact using context, real subjects, and action. Photographing scenes with wide, middle-range, and tight perspectives often accomplishes this approach.

I was immediately drawn to [Rob’s] style- classic, clean and timeless photos. Nothing trendy or gimmicky- they were photos that told a story. — Alexis Bautista

When I create your photos, I’ll share the who, what, when, where, and why. That means I’ll carefully consider both subjects and your company brand, the objects or actions featured, how the time of day shares context, how locations provide a sense of place, and how the storytelling elements tie in with your brand identity.

This also means that I’ll create photographs representing your organization and showing that you understand your audience. For example, we might address physical, psychological, and geographical considerations in addition to race and gender. Your creative direction will influence those goals and my approach.

People First

My commercial photography usually has a people-first focus, where the photos are more about the person doing work while the work performed is of secondary importance.

I’ll work with your machinists, mechanics, servers, workers, drillers, roughnecks, engineers, electricians, equipment operators, employees, technicians, plumbers, physicians, contractors, farmers, ranchers, and management team to deliver authentic photographs that show real people doing real things that (look like they) really happened.

Preproduction

I offer preproduction services when your project requires them. Careful preproduction helps ensure your project runs smoothly.

I can attend or provide video-based creative briefs, in-person planning meetings, subject matter research, timeline organization, on-site reconnaissance (recce), shot list refinement, budget planning, storyboarding, mood board creation, and model or talent selection through collaboration.

These services help ensure that strategic and tactical plans are perfectly aligned with your creative brief and corporate direction.

Location Scouting & Management

Whether you need me to visit your site for evaluation, planning, or suitability analysis, or find the perfect location for your preferred visuals, I offer location scouting under my commercial photography and videography umbrella.

I’ll identify and assess locations that will work best visually and practically, whether they’re indoors or outdoors, bustling or serene, unique or common. When budget is your driver, I can also assist with smartphone location scouts conducted by you, your management team, or your employees.

Location scouting can be time-consuming because it includes research, travel, site evaluation, and documentation. If you want me to also handle your location management, I may need to arrange permits, oversee agreements, coordinate with property owners and authorities, manage logistics, anticipate and mitigate risks, and address unforeseen challenges.

Post-Production

When your project is complete, I’ll first select and correct your best photographs. Then, I’ll deliver those images via an online gallery where you and your colleagues can review and download the photos.

Later, you might ask for additional services like retouching and compositing, although your team usually handles that work in-house or through your agency. However, if you need me to handle that work, I’m available.

Houston Industrial Photographer

As a Houston industrial photographer, I understand how to document areas usually hidden from the public and your clients and create powerful storytelling photographs that further your brand.

Whether you need photos of equipment, heavy machinery, precision tools, mechanical systems, facilities, people, or a mixture of all six, I’m your guy. I’ve photographed industrial photography projects in factories, manufacturing facilities, construction sites, power plants, wind farms, solar fields, warehouses, laboratories, transportation depots, and clean rooms. I want to photograph your project, too.

Energy Company Photographer

Houston is widely known as the Energy Capital of the World because of its strategic location and high concentration of energy companies, so it’s no surprise that my commercial photography focuses heavily on exploration, production, transmission, supply, and technology.

I’ve created extensive photography for utility companies, oil and gas companies, power companies, and renewable energy companies. For example, I’ve photographed transmission towers, onshore drilling rigs, refineries, petroleum products, solar farms, wind farms, and the people who work them.

The only work in this sector that I haven’t done, but I want to do more than any other, is to travel to and spend a week photographing work on an offshore drilling rig, production platform, or drillship. If you need this work done, contact me today and let’s make a deal.

Healthcare Photographer

I provide photography for hospitals, medical schools, and primary care providers like family physicians, specialty care providers like cardiologists, mental health professionals like counselors and psychologists, and affiliated health professionals like physical therapists and laboratory technicians.

My people-first approach means your healthcare professional photography will reflect the best in who they are and what they do through natural and authentic photography. Whether you need physician portraits or candid surgery coverage, I’ll deliver photographs representing the best of your profession.

When you need dynamic healthcare photography, I’m eager to learn about your people and processes so I can represent them accurately and visually in my medical photographs. My understanding guides my visual approach.

During our project, I’ll also pay close attention to your Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) guidelines and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules. Patient rights, privacy, discretion, and security are my highest priority.

Houston Advertising Photographer

Agencies and savvy marketing departments hire me as their photographer when they need better-than-average (or downright awesome) advertising photography for campaigns, promotional materials, visual branding, annual reports, corporate sustainability reports, image libraries, or similar commercial imagery.

I am deeply familiar with business marketing and business processes, and those considerations help me think functionally and creatively when promoting brands through my commercial advertising photography.

Panoramic Photography

I’m your best choice when you need a panoramic photographer for your commercial photography project. I’ve been using advanced panorama techniques for 20+ years and own some of the best gear available, allowing for multi-row and 360-degree panoramas of the highest quality.

With my equipment and experience, I’ll provide you with zero distortion, highly detailed images that wouldn’t be possible if I were using only wide-angle lenses. You’ll be able to zoom, zoom, zoom in and see everything.

Although panoramas are most common in real estate, architecture, and interior design projects, I’ve also created commercial images featuring landscapes and tourist destinations. Developers, architects, and event venues have used those images.

Commercial Video

If you need short video clips of our still photography setups, I can provide basic RAW B-roll footage for an additional fee. However, this footage is straight out of the camera without corrections or edits.

However, if you need substantive, dynamic industrial, commercial, or location-based footage captured by a dedicated videographer working alongside me, then I have a great solution. Check out our example videos or learn more about our videographer services.

If you don’t need a turnkey solution and want to hire your own videographer, I can refer you to local commercial video teams when you need recommendations.

Commercial Director

With the lines blurring between photography and video, and since I also offer both still photography and commercial videography, plus given my work on set, some folks might call me a commercial director.

That means that on some projects, I might oversee styling, lighting, art direction, crew, and talent. Just don’t ask me to direct your next music video or feature film. I’m not that kind of director.

I’ll use composition, lighting, emotion, movement, and depth of field to guide viewers to the story we want them to see. And I’ll use emotional direction to guide employees or talent in ways that bring out the best in their posing, body language, and expression.

Working with Models

I know how to work with people—whether they’re models, extras, employees, agency contacts, or C-level executives. I actively listen, communicate clearly, and respect everyone.

Rob was great to work with! He took photos of our team in a challenging warehouse setting but [he] provided great recommendations and the photos came out great! — Jonathan Shover

When photographing subjects, I offer positivity, encouragement, and clear direction. With smooth collaboration, we’ll achieve superior results.

If you’re looking for models, you might consider reaching out to one of my favorite modeling agencies.

Tethering

When you need to see my photographs in real time as they’re created, I offer a tethering solution. I connect my cameras wirelessly to two iPad displays or via cabling to my notebook computer, and you can view my work.

You can then provide me with real-time feedback and guidance, ensuring that the photographs I create align exactly with your vision. We can also share that work with your employees or talent, so we increase their confidence or provide visual direction on changes we might need to make.

This means that you’ll have the photos you need before I leave, and you reduce the likelihood of any reshoots. That being said, and I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve never had to do a reshoot on any commercial or industrial photography project.

Safety First, Safety Always

I’ll follow your functional standards, best practices, and style guide while creating powerful, authentic, and engaging images representing your brand.

I’ll also do no harm. This phrase means my conduct reflects the highest safety standards, compliance, and respect for clients, customers, and agencies. If I observe an unsafe or non-compliant situation, I’ll speak up immediately, notifying your staff and intervening independently when necessary. I understand what it means to have Stop Work Authority (SWA).

Where appropriate, and when you make it available, I’ll review your documentation that outlines any job safety considerations or potential hazards. That includes attending on-site safety briefs or special training like HUET, BOSIET, MIST, or HSE. I’ll also closely follow your Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulations.

My Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is current; it expires on May 31, 2029. That program certification allows me to access secure areas in maritime facilities and vessels, including ports, port facilities, boats, ships, and continental shelf facilities. 

I also have trauma and lifesaving training and will bring that to your project. I carry a CAT 7 tourniquet in my bag, two more in my vehicle, and a professional-grade trauma kit. Although my skills aren’t a substitute for a first responder, I can render substantial aid until help arrives.

If your project requires a site survey or recce for estimating, pre-photography planning, or risk assessment documentation, you can add that to your project plan, and I’ll include that additional work in your estimate or project costs.

I’m currently completing the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Course (meeting OSHA 29 CFR 1910 standards). That training means that I have essential workplace safety knowledge that helps me recognize, avoid, abate, and prevent common hazards.

I’ve completed OSHA Fall Protection Training for Construction and General Industry from an OSHA-approved training center. This certification allows me to safely work from ladders, lifts, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), scaffolding, and roofs.

I’m also familiar with both passive and active fall protection systems, including personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) like full-body harnesses and lanyards, lifelines, or self-retracting lifelines (SRLs, aka yo-yos). This safety-gear familiarity includes stairway and ladder safety considerations.

I prefer platform ladders for ladder work stability, although I use A-frame ladders on many projects. When ascending or descending ladders, I use a two-camera strap system so I can easily maintain three points of contact.

I’ve also worked from aerial lifts like vertical towers (scissor lifts), extensible booms, articulating booms (knuckle booms / up-and-over booms), and telescopic stick booms.

I pay close attention to safety monitor personnel instructions and listen to and obey your company’s designated competent person. Before arriving on-site, I’ll review any company-specific fall protection plans, watch any required safety videos, or attend safety briefings. Additionally, I’ll observe all administrative controls that follow your safety culture. I understand that safety is our #1 priority when working on your project.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

I own top-of-the-line and well-maintained Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This PPE ownership means I’m immediately available and fully prepared to work safely as a commercial photographer in industrial or construction environments. It also means that I take commercial photography seriously.

Since the gear is my own, it fits correctly, and I’m familiar with it. That means you’ll realize several benefits. Specifically, on day-long projects where I wear PPE for countless hours under challenging conditions, I’ll be more comfortable than with borrowed gear and thus better able to concentrate on delivering superior photography.

PPE Gear List

My personally owned PPE equipment includes:

I’ll pay close attention to subjects in environments where PPE is required and always check with the art director, supervisors, or personnel to help ensure that the proper PPE appears in your photos. This PPE mandate means that people in the same photo should wear the same PPE and that all PPE is in good condition.

We’ll ensure that subjects are safe and don’t violate safety rules. Rule examples include subjects in vehicles should be wearing seatbelts, subjects on stairs should be holding handrails, and all equipment should appear tidy and organized.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are a few of the most common questions asked by clients who want to hire me as a commercial photographer and an industrial photographer.

How to Hire Me

Contact me today to discuss your project goals, budget, timelines, and deliverables. I’ll exceed your expectations. I’m also available for commercial photography work in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. And I’ll go anywhere cars drive, planes fly, choppers hover, or ships float.