Photography is commonly used in advertising to broadcast new products, preview upcoming items, and sell products without words. Most advertising photos are edited and enhanced to make models and products appear more attractive than in real life. While controversial, this practice aims to better market and sell the item. Advertising photos from the 20th century sometimes contained sexist or unhealthy messages that are now prohibited, showing how social values have changed the standards for appropriate advertising imagery over time.

1. ADVERTISING
PHOTOGRAPHY

2. USE OF THIS TYPE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY?
• Broadcasts new products
• Sneak-peak into upcoming shows/products
• Sells products without having to use words
• Propaganda
• Change your opinion (Dove advertisement for loving your size)
• Make you aware of up and coming changes around you
• Campaigns to raise awareness

3. ADVERTISING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
• Richard Avedon
• Guy Bourdin
• Helmut Neuton
• Simon Stanmore
• James King
• Jonathon Knowles
• Tim Tadder

4. LINKS TO WEBSITES THAT USE
PHOTO ADVERTISING:
www.portsmouth.co.uk/ - latest local news (stock shots)
www.look.co.uk/ - latest celebrity news and fashion (fashion modeling,
showcasing new trends)
www.vogue.com/magazine/ - latest fashions for this season and the
following, up and coming designers (fashion modeling, showcasing,
portraits)
www.thesun.co.uk/ - latest headlines and big news (stock shots, criminal
shots)
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 - latest singles and albums (album covers)
www.apple.com - newest phones and gadgets released (stock shots,
various angles of the new gadget)

5. EDITED? ENHANCED? DOES
THIS MAKE IT
CONTROVERSIAL?
Yes. Most pictures that are going to be used for advertising are going to be edited
and enhanced, as advertising is used to sell a product. With make up, they can
make the models face look more flawless so it seems as though the make up does
more than it would in real life; or make the brightness of a lipstick higher so it looks
more bold than it really is.
Clothes models are also photo-shopped to look slimmer in the clothes they are
modeling as to make the clothes look better themselves as they are on a better
body shape.
This can make advertising photos very controversial as it sells us something
different to what the actual product is. It can make us think that certain clothes will
look better on us than they will or that our make up will give different results than it
actually will.

6. PHOTO ADVERTISING:
NOW AND THEN
This is an old 20th Century ad for Lucky
Sweet cigarettes. The ad makes it look as
though cigarettes keep woman slim, with
a picture of a pretty young woman. In the
21st century, you are no longer allowed to
advertise cigarettes, although there are
pictures of the bad side effects of
smoking on cigarette packets.
These two adverts are for Heinz Ketchup.
One from the 20th century and one from
2014, the 21st century. The oldest ad is
very sexist, with a quote reading “You
mean a woman can open it?” and a
picture of a shocked lady. Because this
was when woman had first got their rights,
nowadays, that wouldn’t make a good
advert because woman and men are
regarded equal in society.