Photographers are an essential part of big days like engagements, weddings, birthday parties, coming-of-age celebrations, and much more. If you have an important event coming up and you need to find a reliable and professional photographer, then follow these six tips for choosing a photographer who understands your style and will create lasting memories for you and your loved ones to enjoy for years to come.
Define Your Style
Before you even start looking for a photographer, you need to define your style. This will help you explain what you want when you start talking to potential photographers. A fun and easy way to do this is to go on Pinterest and look up different photography styles. From bright and colorful themes to dark and moody, there is a photography style for everyone. It is also important to decide if you want all staged photographs or if you want the photographer to take candids as well.
The type of event that you are hiring the photographer for is also something to consider because different events require different tones and styles of photography. Once you have a good idea of what you want, you can start searching for a photographer.
Research Photographers in Your Area
To find a photographer, the best place to start is on Google. You can search on Google Maps or on a general Google search by typing in “photographer near me”. This will generate a long list of local photographers to choose from. Reputable photography businesses like SvenStudios will pop up towards the top of the list and you can go to their website to see all of the services they have to offer. Browse a few websites to get a good idea of the kind of availability each photography business has.
You can also ask around to friends and family to see if they have used a good photographer in the past. Sometimes word of mouth recommendations are the best because they prove that a photographer’s services are high quality enough for someone to recommend them to others.
Review Portfolios and Testimonials
A photographer’s portfolio is their version of a CV. It has all you need to know about their work and should be packed full of examples of their past projects and jobs. This will give you a preview of the kind of work you can expect from each photographer and you can compare different portfolios to see whose better matches your aesthetic.
On a photographer’s website or different review websites, you can read through the testimonials of different clients to see if they were satisfied with their work or not. These testimonials paired with the portfolios that you can see on their websites should help you narrow down your search.
Schedule Consultations
The best way to make a final pick for a photographer is to schedule consultations with your final candidates. This way you can get to know them in person to see if your personalities mesh well. This is something very important for a photographer and a client because, on the day of the event, they will have to communicate a lot. Remember to make a list of questions for each photographer, highlighting what you need from them and what kind of event you are hosting.
This is also a perfect time to ask them about their process to gauge their professionalism. Ask them if they offer advice on how to pose and how they prepare for shoots. If you are meeting for the consultation in their office, also ask them about what equipment they use and tell them about what kinds of equipment you think you will need for your event. For example, if you need them for a nighttime event, they will need to bring extra lights and flashbulbs for their cameras.
Discuss Their Editing Process
Some photographers have a very specific way of editing photos, so make sure that their process aligns with what you want from the final result of your photos. Also, if you are looking for a photographer who can help you edit out certain things in your photos or add elements to make the photos look better, these are things you can discuss before the session and after the photos have been taken and you are going through them.
For example, for wedding photos, you may have forgotten to take a photo with one of your family members and it is too late to go back in time and do it. In this case, you can ask your photographer if they have the ability to edit a photo of you and a photo of that family member together so that it looks like a normal photo. Many photographers are well-versed in Photoshop and should have no issues with requests like this.
Discuss Budget and Deliverables
The budget that you have allocated for a photographer may also be a big factor in who you end up going with. Photographer packages can be quite pricey, so it is important to ask about how much they charge for the day or the hours they work. This price includes not only the day of the event but also the time it takes for the photographer to edit all of the photos afterward.
If the photographer has different packages, make sure to clarify what is included in that package. Some of the services included will be hours worked, the number of edited photos, and print rights to the final photos. You may also need to discuss added fees like travel expenses if the photographer has to travel for something like a destination wedding, for example. After that is all sorted, clarify the deliverables. Ask if you will receive digital copies of photos or videos or if they offer printing services or albums. All of these things need to be factored into your final budget.
Finding a photographer who understands your style is not hard if you are willing to go through the vetting process and have a few consultations. Remember that investing in a good photographer might be one of the best decisions you make when it comes to your big event.
