Which photography service do I need?
I get a version of this question in about a third of my enquiries. Someone lands on the services page, sees four options, and sends a message that starts with "I'm not sure which service I need, but here's what I'm after…" That's a fine way to start. But here's a faster way to figure it out.
·The one question that decides it
What will the images be used for?
That's it. Not what you want to photograph. Not where you want to shoot. Not how much you want to spend. What the images need to do after the session determines which service you need.
You need portrait photography if…
The images are of you (or your team), and the purpose is representing a person.
- LinkedIn profile photo
- CV or job application headshot
- Personal branding for your website, social media, or speaker profile
- Couple, family, or personal portraits
- Graduation photos
- Actor or musician press photos
What you get: A relaxed session (about 1 hour), 3-5 edited images, delivered in 3-4 days. Starting at 1,500 SEK for an individual, 2,000 SEK for a group, excluding VAT.
The telltale sign: If the most important thing in the image is a person's face, it's a portrait.
More about portrait photography →
You need event photography if…
Something is happening that can't be repeated, and you need it documented.
- Corporate events, conferences, award ceremonies
- Product launches, brand activations
- Parties, mingles, celebrations
- TV show premieres, galas
- Private events: birthdays, anniversaries
What you get: Documentary-style coverage. I stay in the background and capture what actually happens. 30–60 edited images for a 2-hour event, delivered in 1–2 days. Starting at 2,000 SEK for the 2-hour starter package, excluding VAT.
The telltale sign: If the event is happening whether or not a photographer is there, and you want to remember it, it's event photography.
More about event photography →
You need commercial photography if…
The images are for your business, and the purpose is selling, marketing, or building a brand.
- Product photography for e-commerce or your website
- Brand imagery for campaigns, social media, or advertising
- Interior photography for restaurants, hotels, or offices
- Food photography
- Content libraries for ongoing marketing use
What you get: A planned production with a creative brief, styling coordination, and files optimised for web and print. Studio sessions start at 3,000 SEK (2 hours, studio included), on-location at 2,000 SEK (2 hours). Larger projects are quoted individually.
The telltale sign: If the subject is a product, a space, or a brand concept rather than a person, it's commercial photography. If the subject is a person but the purpose is selling something (not representing the person), it's also commercial.
More about commercial photography →
You need art prints if…
You want an existing image from my personal projects, either as a digital file or a physical print.
- Art for your home
- Photography for office or hotel interiors
- A gift
- Commercial licensing of existing work
What you get: Digital images from 500 SEK each. Physical prints quoted based on paper, size, and framing. Commercial licensing available.
The telltale sign: You've seen something in my portfolio that you want for your wall, not a new shoot.
Common overlaps (and how to handle them)
"I need headshots for my team AND photos of our office."
That's portrait + commercial. We can combine them in one session. The headshots are straightforward, and the office/workspace images are commercial. I'll quote it as one project.
"I need photos of myself for my brand."
That's a portrait session with a personal branding focus. You don't need a commercial shoot unless the images are of products rather than you. A standard portrait session at 1,500 SEK covers this. More about personal branding photography →
"I'm launching a product and having a launch event."
That's event photography for the launch itself, and potentially commercial photography for the product beforehand. Book them separately or as a package — we'll figure out the right scope during the consultation.
"I want new portraits, but I also saw a print I like."
Those are independent. Book a portrait session and buy the art print separately. No need to combine them into one project.
The decision in thirty seconds
Ask yourself:
- Is it a person? → Portrait photography
- Is it an event? → Event photography
- Is it a product, space, or brand? → Commercial photography
- Do you want an existing image? → Art prints
- Is it a combination? → Tell me and we'll figure it out
Every project starts with a free consultation. If you're still not sure after reading this, that's fine. Send me a message describing what you need, and I'll tell you which service fits and give you an exact quote.
Frequently asked questions
Portrait photography focuses on representing a person, how they look, their personality, their professional image. Commercial photography focuses on selling a product, a brand, a space. If you need a headshot for LinkedIn, that's a portrait. If you need a photo of your product for your webshop, that's commercial. If you need a photo of yourself holding your product for Instagram, it's usually a portrait with a branding focus.
Yes. Team headshots plus office photography, or personal portraits plus product shots, can often be covered in one session. Daniel Ahlberg quotes combined projects individually based on scope. The free consultation is where we figure out the most efficient setup.
Portrait photography. A standard one-hour session at 1,500 SEK gives you 3–5 edited images including headshots sized for LinkedIn. If you also need environmental portraits for your website and social media, the same session covers both.
It depends on what images you need. If you need photos of yourself for your website and LinkedIn, that's portrait photography (from 1,500 SEK). If you need photos of your products or your space, that's commercial photography (starting at 2,000 SEK on location). If you need both, we can combine them. The free consultation helps sort this out.
If the images will be used primarily to represent you as a person (headshots, about page, social media presence), a portrait session is enough. If the images need to sell a product, represent a brand concept, or require specific styling and art direction, a commercial shoot gives you the production level needed. When in doubt, describe what you need during the free consultation and Daniel will recommend the right service.