And a fine day to you folks who are reading this post.
Full disclosure, I’m a photography snob. It took me forever to get good at still photography, and I’m still learning day by day. Still photography is subjective, meaning we all have a style that pleases our eye. I’ll be honest, this current trend with the weird framing, where the subject is extremely small in the frame annoys me. Also, what is with the over saturation, blown out skyline, crushed blacks? I don’t get it. If you like it, go forth and conquer, but it makes me crazy.
With that off my chest, if you are reading this, you might be searching for a photographer for your special event. Wedding, graduation, newborn pictures, etc. Possibly, you aren’t sure where to start. I’m here to help you with that. I don’t provide a ton of photography services, it’s typically if someone asks. But I do want my friends and clients to get what they are looking for, so here is some free advice.
First - cast a net into the social media waters, ask for recommendations. Honestly, we all take our friends suggestions into account more than just Googling “Photographers near me.” Now, you’ll probably get the phone book of names and be over-whelmed. That is a good thing. Write down the names, because you’ll probably see the same one several times.
Next - look them up online. First and foremost, if they don’t have a website or social page for their business, RUN! I’m serious here. Creating a business page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram is free. If they haven’t taken the time to make themselves look reputable, they probably aren’t. Plus, they won’t have samples of their work, and that is what you are trying to find.
Look at their pictures. Do you like their style? Are their pictures something you’d like to hang in your home? Because if you spend a ton of money on pictures, you’ll want them hanging in your house, or playing on your digital devices. Last thing you want is to spend big coin on pictures and hate them. Also, be suspicious if they only have a handful of pictures. If they advertise they take wedding pictures, and their gallery has about 10-20 pictures, red flag. All my photographer friends dump hundreds of pictures from their sessions. So make sure and do your homework ahead of time.
Once you’ve found a few photographers you are interested in, it’s time to reach out. Email or call them, what ever your preference. But, be prepared to ask these questions:
What does it cost, and what does that include? There are a variety of factors, and you want to understand what you are paying for. Does the price include just taking pictures, or pictures and color corrections? How many pictures do you get at the end?
Does that cost include hard prints or just digital images? In the old days of film, photographers kept the negatives, and the only way to get additional prints was to go through them. Some photographers still do this in the digital age. Others (like myself), give you all the digital prints when the project is over. That way, you can find the best deal for getting prints made and you own the negatives. Either way is acceptable, you just want to know going in.
Can I contact some of your clients? If the answer is no, thank them for their time. You want to be able to speak to people that have used them to make sure they deliver what they say. I have clients ask me all the time for references and I give them names to check up on my services.
When you call the references, ask the following: How was your experiencing working with “X?” “Were they on time, polite, easy to work with?” “How long did it take to see your pictures?” “Are you happy with the results?” “Would you use them again?”
I hope this is helpful. With so many photographers popping up all the time, it’s hard to know where to begin, but this guide should help you narrow down and find someone who will give you great pictures.
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”
― Ansel Adams