How To Find The Right Photographer For You

Like everything these days, finding the best photographer for you can be a bit of a mission. We suffer from too-much-research-possibility and it can be hard to make a decision. A lot of people don’t know where to start; they may Google ‘photographer’ + ‘area’ but how do you sort the wheat from the chaffe? How do you know that the photographer will deliver the images you want?

A great way to find a photographer is by recommendation. Perhaps you admire someone else’s headshot, website photos or family photographs. Failing that, here are 10 top tips to help you find the right photographer for you:

1.     Consider what is most important to you? Does your photographer need to be local or localish? This will narrow down your search.

2.     Some photographers only photograph outside; some shoot only studio; some a bit of both. What kind of images are you after – an outdoor family shoot? A classic portrait?

3.     Scour Pinterest for ideas of things you like. Make a Pinterest board. Most photographers would be able to advise you on whether they are happy to do your photo session according to your board. See my Pinterest board here.

4.     Check the photographer’s website where they should have a steady portfolio of good images. See what resonates with you. Ideally there would be a few images of one photo shoot so you get a feel for how a shoot would look for you and the different styles a photographer can accomplish in a photo session.

5.     Check out the photographer’s technical skills.

a.     You don’t want to see any blinks or blurry images (unless they are documentary or part of the style).

b.     Check for tidy portraits - children’s nose crusts; milk dribbling out of baby’s mouths (yes, I saw this on someone’s portfolio)

c.     Check if there are overblown highlights. Sometimes this cannot be avoided or is a style thing but usually it should be avoided.

d.     Check the photo’s focus – it should be on the eye, although sometimes this does not matter if the overall image is impactful.

e.     Is the photograph straight?

f.      Are there any eyesores that spoil the composition.

g.     Is the image over or under exposed (too bright or too dark).

h.     Are there any dust or smears or strange reflections?

6.     Check that you like the toning of the images. Some photographers choose an airy and bright tone for their images; others, moodier and darker. Others apply a tint. Choose a photographer’s style that aligns with your preference. Though, do note, anything that is faddy (tints, for example) can date the image pretty quickly.

7.     If you are a lover of Black and White photography, check you like the tonal range of their offering. Black and white images have a vast tonal range and you want to make sure you love what they offer.

8.     If you are happy with all of these, then check the price. Photography pricing varies wildly. Most photographers will have a ‘starting from’ price or a session fee price on their website. Please note, that the session fee usually just covers the price of the photo shoot. Usually, you will have to purchase the images separately, so it is a good idea to find out how much the smallest package would be or a typical spend per client.

9.     Contact the photographer. It’s best to speak on the phone or have a Zoom meeting. It’s really important that you like your photographer and can form a connection. The meeting will be the clincher for whether that photographer is the right person for you.

10.  Check the photographer is upfront about prices and the process. You want to ensure that you know where you are. Check whether they will give you a contract – which guarantees peace of mind for both parties.

Hope that helps. If you want any other ideas on finding a photographer check out the blogs on my website: www.charlottewebbphotography.com