Commercial Lifestyle Photography

Commercial Lifestyle Photography

Author: Steve Brazill March 9, 2023 Duration: 51:24

PRODUCTION NOTE: I unfortunately had some issues with the guest audio on this show, so you will hear some echo at times. My apologies to my guest, and to you – the viewers and listeners.

Tim Gerard Barker is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker based in Hanoi, Vietnam, who I met through the folks over at Wonderful Machine. As soon as I saw Tim’s work, I knew I needed to get him on the show.

When you look at Tim’s portfolio you’ll see photography categories for Hospitality I Hotels and Resorts, Lifestyle, Corporate, Industrial, Portraiture, Travel, Landscape | Aerial, and NGO | Documentary, and trust me…. he’s amazing at all of those. Looking through his work I was immediately struck by some of his commercial lifestyle shots. The detail in how he structures a scene for a client just blows my mind. His understanding of where the goals of a client and the craft of photography meet is next level. He writes about some of his shoots, and reading the post about today’s image was very enlightening. You can find that here, or at the link below, under the subhead “Male Financial Professionals | Hanoi Train Street“.

Of course, none of that is surprising. Tim has extensive experience working throughout Asia on a wide range of photography and videography projects. His results are not cookie cutter images either. His ability to capture real people and real places, and the uniqueness of a culture, is refreshing. He manages to convey his stories with a colourful, graphic style that has resulted in numerous awards over the years, with citations in the International Photography Awards, Australia’s Top Photographers and Travel Photographer of the Year.

His client list is a who’s who of corporate giants, including Nike, Forbes, Novartis, Discovery Channel, CNN, BBC and more.

Please join award winning photographer Tim Gerard Barker and me as we dive into his approach to commercial lifestyle photography, and how he creates the scenes his clients are looking for, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Tim

Website: tgbarker.com
Instagram: @timgerardbarker
Facebook: @tgbarkerphotographyandfilm
Twitter: @timgerardbarker
Vimeo: @timgerardbarker
YouTube: @timgerardbarker4886

Blog Post About This Episode’s Shot:
“Lifestyle Photography for a Financial Technology Company”

Under “Male Financial Professionals | Hanoi Train Street”: tim-barker-uuum.squarespace.com

Tim’s Photographer Pick

Andrew Quilty: andrewquilty.com | @andrewquilty

Steve’s Whiskey Pick

Nikka From the Barrel: nikka.com


Steve Brazill hosts Behind the Shot-Video, a series that goes far beyond gear lists and camera settings. Each conversation is a deep exploration of the creative and technical journey behind compelling images. You’ll hear working photographers unpack the entire process-from the initial spark of an idea and the challenges of the location to the critical decisions made in post-production. This podcast sits at the unique intersection of art and practical technology, offering tangible lessons for anyone looking to improve their visual storytelling. Rather than abstract theory, these discussions provide a real-world look at problem-solving under pressure and the artistic choices that define a signature style. Tune in for honest, detailed breakdowns that reveal how memorable shots are truly built, layer by layer. It’s an essential resource for visual artists seeking both inspiration and actionable knowledge, all grounded in the lived experience of accomplished creators.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Behind the Shot - Video
Podcast Episodes
Sculpting with Light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:19
When describing Blair Bunting’s photography there are few way to approach it. First of all there is the website bio version, which starts: “Blair Bunting is an advertising photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona specializ…
Light Painting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:03
Let’s start here… Cliff Mautner’s career in photography spans 38 years. Think about that for a minute… 38 years ago Nikon released the world’s first SLR with Matrix Metering, the Nikon FA, and the world’s first camera wi…
Photographing an Album Cover [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:15
I have writer’s block because of my guest. In fact, describing William Snyder is so difficult that I’ve been waiting to write this for two days. I’m ready to give it a shot now, but let me say up front that there is litt…
Aviation Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:18
It’s the return of Moose Peterson! The first time Moose Peterson was on the show I was pretty nervous. Usually I am trying to calm guests that are nervous about being on a show, but this was different. Moose is a legend…
Beverage Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:35
Everybody loves a good meal, and it seems like everybody is posting photos of their food, but when food photography is done right you can seemingly taste it. That’s where Freddy Clark comes in, and when he gets his hands…
Photographic Timing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:45
Damian Strohmeyer is a Boston based photographer that’s just as comfortable photographing a Super Bowl, as he is shooting a portrait. His body of work spans from fast action sports, like The World Series, The World Cup,…
Perspective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:06
St. Louis wedding photographer Sal Cincotta, and his award winning studio, take photography to a level few will ever achieve. Traveling the world to document their client’s most cherished moments, Sal and his team push t…
Extreme Photojournalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:07
One of the best parts of doing this podcast is the never ending inspiration I see from amazing photographic talents. Sometimes, the guests I get on the show are photographers I stumble upon while browsing the web, someti…
Long Exposures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:43
If you’re here then I will assume you are, at a minimum, a fan of good photography. Perhaps it interests you as a craft, or an art, or more likely you are a photographer that wants to improve their skill set. That means…
Timeless Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:56
I have been trying to count the number of guests I’ve had on this show that mentioned Scott Kelby, and each time I lose count. Seemingly everyone I know, and most of those I don’t know, have learned something from Scott.…