Quick summary: A commercial shoot day is a structured 3-to-8-hour process — pre-brief, on-site setup, shooting to a specific shot list, immediate review with you, then 5-10 days of professional editing before your high-res files arrive via WeTransfer. This page walks through exactly what happens on your shoot day.
About the photographer: Riekert Cloete has been a full-time commercial photographer in Cape Town since 2014. 500+ commercial and headshot shoots, 1,000+ individuals photographed, across nine industries. Based in Durbanville.
Booking a commercial shoot can feel like a black box. You brief the photographer, something happens on the day, and a folder of edited images lands in your inbox a week later. For most clients — especially first-time buyers — that’s not quite enough information to relax into the process.
This page is a look behind the curtain. What a typical shoot day actually looks like, the gear and lighting we bring, how the team works, and what happens after the shutter stops. If you’re about to book your first commercial shoot in Cape Town, read this first.
Watch what actually happens — gear setup, lighting choices, working with talent, the in-between moments a portfolio doesn’t show.
Every commercial shoot follows a rhythm. The day before, we confirm the shot list with you — usually a short Zoom or email exchange — and I pack gear based on what we’re photographing: headshots need one setup, architecture another, product shots a third. There’s no one-size-fits-all kit.
I typically arrive about 15 minutes ahead of the agreed call time — exact timing always confirmed in the brief upfront, since complex setups (multi-location, big lighting, tight schedules) need more lead time. By the time your team is on set, the technical work is done. That’s the whole idea — you focus on being present, I handle the photography.
Most shoots run three to six hours depending on scope. The brief shapes everything — duration, deliverables, who’s on set, logistics — so we always agree the structure together before the day.
I shoot on pro-grade Nikon D850 bodies — two of them, every shoot has a backup. Matched set of fast prime and zoom Nikkor lenses (24-70 f/2.8, 80-200 f/2.8, 14mm prime, 50mm f/1.4, 105mm macro), full Profoto off-camera lighting kit (B1 location strobes, A1 portable flashes, lots of modifiers), and a Thinktank kit bag that gets bigger every year. No critical frame has ever been missed to equipment failure in over twenty years of professional work.
My lighting style is large, soft, directional — enhancing natural light rather than replacing it. Available light alone rarely gives brands the polish they need, so I bring controlled light to every shoot and adapt it to the space. Low-ceiling boardroom, cavernous wind farm workshop, or bright-white medical practice — the setup changes, the quality doesn’t.
For outdoor and site shoots (energy, industrial, agriculture), weather-sealed bodies and spare batteries come standard. Aerial drone work isn’t part of my offering — when a brief calls for it, I work with a licensed drone partner.
Most commercial shoots are just me. I handle the camera, the lighting, the direction, and the on-set communication with you and your team. That keeps things quiet and efficient — no production army, no unnecessary people in your space.
For larger or more complex briefs — multi-location events, tight parallel deadlines, or anything that genuinely needs more eyes — I bring in a trusted second shooter and an assistant. We discuss this upfront in the brief, so there are no surprises on the day. Everyone I work with has been on my bench for years.
Editing is a single thorough pass across all selected images — colour, exposure, sharpness, crop, and brand alignment. For corporate headshot packages, a defined number of selects (per the package agreed upfront) get a deeper retouching pass: skin, distractions, background cleanup.
Files are delivered via WeTransfer — high-res JPGs (full resolution) plus low-res web-optimised versions of every image, in a mix of portrait and landscape per the shoot. Standard delivery is within 5-10 working days; commercial briefs typically come back within 3 working days. Same-day hero images available as a premium deliverable when there’s an urgent PR need.
Real shoots, written up. Updates automatically as I publish new behind-the-scenes posts across commercial work, corporate headshot sessions, and event coverage.
Behind the Scenes: Corporate Headshots for PSG in Tygervalley I recently had the pleasure of photographing a series of professional corporate headshots for the PSG
TEXT Capturing the Faces Behind the Care Capturing the Faces Behind the Care: A Session with The Haematology Specialists Recently, I had the privilege of
Commercial Photographer Cape Town: Industrial Truck Photography for Pool Transport Photographing Trucks for Pool Transport A day in the life of a commercial photographer often
Team Building Event Photography at GrandWest, Cape Town Venue: Grand West, Cape Town Team building events are about more than just activities — they’re about
Corporate Headshots in Camps Bay, Cape Town Lendible Team Strategy Week Cape Town has become a popular destination for international companies hosting strategy sessions and
Headshots at Tyger waterfront Client: bouwer Architects It’s always a pleasure returning to Bouwer Architects to photograph updated corporate headshots for their team. Long-term client
How early do you arrive before a commercial shoot?
Usually about 15 minutes ahead of the agreed call time, with exact timing always confirmed in the brief upfront. Complex setups — multi-location, big lighting rigs, tight parallel schedules — get more lead time built in.
What gear do you bring to a commercial shoot?
Two Nikon D850 bodies with matched primes and zooms (24-70 f/2.8, 80-200 f/2.8, 14mm prime, 50mm f/1.4, 105mm macro), a full Profoto off-camera lighting kit (B1 strobes, A1 flashes, lots of modifiers), and backup bodies. For outdoor or site shoots, weather-sealed bodies and spare batteries.
Do you shoot alone or with a team?
Most commercial shoots are just me. For larger or more complex briefs, I bring in a trusted second shooter and an assistant — we discuss this upfront in the brief based on what the day actually needs.
How long does editing take after the shoot?
A single thorough pass across all selected images — colour, exposure, sharpness, crop, brand alignment. For headshot packages, selected images get a deeper retouching pass per the package agreed upfront. Files within 5-10 working days standard; commercial briefs typically 3 working days. Same-day hero images available as a premium deliverable for urgent PR needs.
What format are the files delivered in?
High-res JPGs (full resolution) plus low-res web-optimised versions, delivered via WeTransfer. Mix of portrait and landscape orientations as the shoot dictates. All files named descriptively, not IMG_4523.jpg.
What if we need more shots than originally scoped?
I build realistic buffers into quotes. If scope genuinely expands on the day — extra people, additional locations — I’ll confirm the adjustment with you on-site before continuing. No surprises post-shoot.
See what a full Commercial photography brief looks like — sectors, deliverables, transparent pricing.