What to Look For When Hiring a Photographer
Whether capturing life’s best moments or enhancing your business’s image, photographers play a large role behind those breathtaking shots. Photography isn’t just about capturing images; it’s about narrating stories, emotions, and moments. These visual storytellers transform ordinary scenes into captivating narratives. Here’s why professional photography matters:
Business Impact: Striking visuals establish brand identities, convey professionalism, and significantly influence consumer decisions.
Personal Realm: Photography preserves cherished memories, eternalizing moments that hold sentimental value.
In this guide, we’ll navigate the maze of hiring photographers and find the perfect match. Here are 6 questions to ask yourself when looking to hire a professional photographer:
What type of photography do I need?
At a very high level, explore a few diverse photography talents:
Portrait Photography: Capturing unique personalities and intimate moments.
Commercial Photography: Breathing life into brand identities and marketing campaigns.
Event and Wedding Photography: Documenting milestones and celebrations.
This is a good starting point but narrow your search even more. Many photographers often specialize (or niche) their services to better serve a specific target audience. For instance, senior photography, personal branding, headshots, and fine-art all fall within portraiture photography. Commercial photographers often have experience working with talent so there will always be some crossover. The more detailed your search, the better of a match you’ll find.
Do they have a portfolio?
A portfolio is a robust collection of work reflecting a photographer’s style and quality. This is often the photographer’s best work. Ask yourself when comparing options, “whose portfolio best represents the type of photography I’m looking for?
Pro Tip: When shopping for a wedding photographer, ask if they can share one or two example of a sample wedding gallery. Since a portfolio reflects a photographer’s best work, asking for a sample gallery will help you see how that photographer handles tricky lighting conditions, compose group photos, and other shots that may not be “exciting” enough to hold a portfolio spot.
What is their experience?
Connecting with a photographer on their experience can help give context to whether or not they’re the right person for the job. Personally, I take this with a large grain of salt. Many photographers have done very well through sound business practices, good marketing, but skate by with mediocre creative work. I often see greener photographers take more creative shots than seasoned veterans. However, as important as creativity is - remember that you’re shopping for a professional service which leads to my next few points.
Do they have reviews? What are other people saying about them?
Look for reviews and references if possible. Testimonials on a photographer’s website will often be over the moon reviews so consider looking at Google or checking your network to see if anyone you know has worked with this photographer.
Pro Tip: If you’re on Instagram, consider seeing if a photographer has tagged a client or person in one of their posts. It may not be a bad idea to DM them something like, “Hey! I noticed you worked with XYZ photographer, I’m interested in booking but would love to hear your experience with them.”
Do they seem reliable?
How quickly do they reply to your inquiry? How do they handle your concerns and do they extensively answer your questions? Ask them what their backup systems look like - for shoot emergencies, file backup, etc… Photography can be expensive and part of that investment should be your reassurance.
Are they a good personality fit?
Photography is a custom creative service meaning you’ll be spending a good amount of time working and communicating directly with your photographer. Do they seem excited with your project? Are they eager to collaborate with you? How flexible and adaptable are they with feedback? Will you get along with this photographer? An especially important question to ask if you’re hiring a photographer for an intimate shoot, say a boudoir is, “Do I feel safe around this photographer?” Photographers come in all personalities and a right personality fit is as important as a right professional fit.
Remember, when hiring a photographer, it’s not just about pixels; it’s about the stories they tell. You might also find this article helpful: 5 Red Flags of a “Professional” Photographer. So go ahead, find your visual storyteller, and let the magic unfold! 📸✨