How to Pick the Perfect Professional Photographer
Tips for what you need to consider before you pay that photography deposit.
Finding the perfect photographer can be overwhelming. There are a couple of important things to consider before booking.
What style are you looking for?
Photographers have different styles so you need to decide on someone who can help you achieve the end result you are looking for. This applies to everything from wedding and maternity shoots to family and corporate shoots. Ask the photographer for some examples of their latest work to evaluate whether they can cater to your needs.
Quality?
Look at their website and Facebook page. Are the portraits in focus? Are the colors off? Is the posing good?
Photographers typically only post a couple of their best photos from a session, so if the ones posted aren’t that great, it’s not a good sign.
Research and review.
Before you invest in a professional photographer you need to do your homework. Get online to find a few customer reviews, browse around their website to view their latest work and have a look around their social media pages to find out what others are saying about them. These platforms will also give you a good idea of their personality and style.
We have a ton of positive yelp reviews and Facebook reviews.
Some other important points to consider when researching photographers are:
- Budget. Do their services fall within your price range? Do they have a payment plan?
- Expertise. Are they experienced enough to give you the results you are looking for?
- Location. Are they based in your area and are they willing to travel to a specific location if need be? Do they have a studio?
- Quality. Is the quality of their photos good enough? Look at aspects such as sharpness, exposure, and saturation.
How about newborn photographers?
You don’t want just anyone handling your sweet new baby. Check to make sure the studio is licensed and insured. How many newborns have they photographed? What safety measures do they take?
Where are they photographing your baby or family? On railroad tracks–that is illegal. In a glass jar–highly dangerous! Hanging in a crocheted blanket from a tree limb–scary!
What about after the session?
Does the photographer provide any retouchups? Head swaps?
Our studio does full retouchups, removing acne, marks, etc. This is included as part of our service.
Who to choose?
Get in touch with the photographers you are considering and ask any questions that you might have. It’s important that you chat with the photographer over the phone if not in person as this is the best way to get to know them and find out whether you’re comfortable with them and feel they can do the job you need them to do.
It’s important that you pick a photographer that you have confidence in. While there is nothing wrong with helping out your hobby photographer friend who has just started out, it’s best to choose an experienced photographer for important events and occasions that you can’t relive.
Our studio does studio and on location portraits and we’d be happy to discuss your session ideas with you.