Atlanta’s photography market is one of the most active in the Southeast, shaped by the city’s thriving corporate sector, active wedding and event culture, and a creative community that spans commercial advertising, editorial, and fine art photography. The city’s film and television production ecosystem has elevated the technical capabilities of Atlanta-based photographers, with many professionals moving fluidly between commercial assignment work, editorial photography, and production set coverage. Atlanta’s diversity of industries, including healthcare, technology, hospitality, food and beverage, fashion, and sports, creates sustained demand for photographers with genuine category expertise rather than generalists who apply the same approach across every type of shoot. The metro area’s wedding market alone supports hundreds of dedicated wedding photographers, while the commercial sector sustains specialists in product, architectural, food, and corporate brand photography.
When evaluating photographers in Atlanta, review their portfolio specifically for work in your category rather than their most visually impressive personal projects, since lighting, direction, and post-production technique vary significantly between portrait, commercial, editorial, and event photography. Ask about the photographer’s booking and cancellation policy, especially for events, and clarify the expected turnaround time for edited image delivery before signing a contract. Red flags include photographers who provide final images only as low-resolution files unsuitable for print, charge separately for basic retouching that is standard in their category, or cannot provide a clear usage rights agreement for commercial work. For commercial brand photography, always confirm file ownership and usage licensing in writing, as different photographers use different licensing structures that can affect how and where you can use the images.
Top Photographer Companies in Atlanta
1. Erica Aitken Photography (My Atlanta Photographer)
Phone: (404) 556-8780
Website: https://www.myatlantaphotographer.com
Service Area: Metro Atlanta and surrounding counties
Services:
- Portrait photography
- Family photography
- Senior portraits
- Professional headshots
- Brand photography
- Event photography
About: Erica Aitken Photography operates as one of Atlanta’s established portrait and brand photography practices, serving individual and professional clients across the metro area with a style focused on natural, authentic imagery rather than heavily posed or over-processed results. The practice covers the full range of portrait-based photography including personal and family sessions, professional headshots for corporate clients and personal branding, and senior portrait packages for high school students. Erica Aitken’s local Atlanta focus means she brings practical familiarity with the city’s locations, light conditions, and seasonal considerations that photographers who do not specialize in the Atlanta market cannot match. Her accessible phone contact and direct booking model make the process straightforward for clients at any experience level with professional photography.
2. Calvin Lockwood Photography
Address: Atlanta, GA (Castleberry Hill district)
Website: https://www.calvlockwoodphoto.com
Services:
- Food and beverage photography
- Product and still life photography
- Editorial photography
- Advertising and catalog photography
- Studio and on-location commercial work
About: Calvin Lockwood is an Atlanta-based commercial photographer with over 20 years of specialized experience in food, beverage, still life, product, editorial, advertising, and catalog photography, operating from a 17,000 square foot historic warehouse studio in Atlanta’s Castleberry Hill neighborhood that he purchased in 1993. The scale and permanence of Lockwood’s studio operation reflects the level of commercial photography investment typically reserved for major production markets, giving Atlanta clients access to a professional infrastructure comparable to what they would find in New York or Chicago studios. His specialization in food, beverage, and product categories means that clients in these verticals work with a photographer whose entire career has been built around the specific lighting, styling, and technical challenges those categories present. Calvin Lockwood’s client base spans national brands and regional companies that require commercial imagery for advertising, packaging, and editorial use.
3. David and Jess Photography
Website: https://www.david-jess.com
Service Area: Atlanta, GA and across the United States
Services:
- Wedding photography
- Engagement photography
- Destination wedding coverage
- Editorial wedding photography
About: David and Jess Photography is an Atlanta-based husband-and-wife photography team with 20 years in the photography industry and a portfolio of over 400 weddings photographed across the United States. Their long-tenured partnership brings complementary shooting perspectives to wedding coverage, with the ability to simultaneously document different moments during ceremony and reception without the limitations of a single shooter. The team’s willingness to travel for destination weddings and their two-decade experience shooting in Atlanta’s diverse venues, from Buckhead ballrooms and Midtown hotels to North Georgia mountain estates and garden venues, gives them a breadth of environmental experience that newer photographers cannot match. Their Atlanta base and national travel capability make them accessible to couples getting married in the city as well as Atlanta-area couples planning destination weddings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I find the right photographer in Atlanta for my specific type of project?
A: The most reliable approach is to search specifically for photographers who have published portfolio examples from your exact project type, whether that is commercial product photography, corporate headshots, wedding coverage, or family portraits. Atlanta has a large photography community with real specialization across these categories, so selecting a specialist rather than a generalist typically produces significantly better results. Review multiple portfolio examples rather than cherry-picked highlights, and ask the photographer to show you a complete set of images from a single event or shoot rather than their best individual images from across many projects. Speaking with a previous client who had a similar project is the most reliable way to assess whether the photographer’s on-set experience and professionalism match their portfolio quality.
Q: What does professional photography typically cost in Atlanta?
A: Wedding photography in Atlanta from experienced photographers typically ranges from $2,500 to $8,000 for full-day coverage, depending on the photographer’s experience, included deliverables, and whether the package includes an engagement session, albums, or second shooter. Portrait and headshot sessions generally run $200 to $600 for a one to two hour session with a defined number of edited digital files. Commercial product and brand photography is typically quoted on a project basis ranging from $500 for simple product images to $5,000 or more per day for complex multi-product shoots with styling, props, and extensive post-production retouching. Food photography for restaurant menus and marketing materials in Atlanta typically runs $1,000 to $3,000 per day depending on the number of dishes, styling requirements, and the photographer’s commercial experience level.
Q: What file deliverables should I expect from a professional photographer in Atlanta?
A: Portrait and event photographers typically deliver high-resolution digital files in JPEG format suitable for both print and digital use, with the number of edited images specified in the contract. Commercial photographers generally deliver images in the format specified by the client, commonly high-resolution TIFF or JPEG files with color calibration notes and usage licensing documentation. Raw files are generally not delivered as a standard deliverable and must be specifically negotiated if required. For commercial brand photography, request the photographer’s full retouching and post-production process so you understand what level of editing is included in the quoted rate versus what requires an additional fee. File delivery timelines vary by photographer and project type, but commercial work typically delivers within one to two weeks and wedding photography within four to eight weeks of the event date.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s photography market offers strong options for portraits, commercial brand work, and wedding coverage from experienced professionals with established local practices. Erica Aitken Photography provides accessible portrait, headshot, and brand photography services across the metro Atlanta area with a direct and communicative booking experience. Calvin Lockwood Photography delivers specialized food, beverage, and commercial product photography from a substantial studio facility in Atlanta’s Castleberry Hill district. David and Jess Photography brings 20 years and 400+ weddings of experience to Atlanta wedding and engagement photography with national destination capability. Contact each photographer with your project brief, preferred dates, and budget to receive personalized proposals.