So you want to choose a photographer?
Choosing a photographer is very important and should be researched thoroughly. Whether it is for a wedding, a party, or your family photos, there are a few details you should be looking for. Budget is an obvious factor but there are a few more things you should consider. These photos, no matter what they are of, are capturing time and will last forever. Have you ever gone through old family photos of moments in time? Ones that all you have is the memory of now. People pass away, time goes on, memories fade. These photos should capture the feeling you felt while it was happening and be able to make you feel that way again. By finding the perfect photographer for you, you can achieve this and stick with 1 photographer for years to come.
Budget - Budget is the first thing you should consider before you start your search. You want to have a clear idea of how much you can invest before you find a photographer who you absolutely love, but their packages are completely out of your price range. To avoid that disappointment, you should consider how much you can spend. Many people will tell you not to find low budget photographers because of the quality of their work. Personally, I have seen many budget friendly photographers with very low prices and very high quality images. As a professional photographer for over 7 years, I have always charged way less than my competitors in the area. This can deter people who think the price should be higher. Don’t let the prices draw you away. Each photographer has a different cost of doing business, experience, and situations. Therefore, figure out what you can invest and go from there.
Style - What style of photography are you looking for? Are you interested in more candid and free flowing? Are you interested in more posed and symbolic? Do you want more vibrant colors? Do you want light and airy touches? Do you not know what you are interested in? Check out their portfolio and see what style they offer. Like a painter or sculpture, photographers are artists and every artist has a different style. You should look through their entire portfolio and full galleries if you’d like. A good photographer should have a consistent style throughout all their images. If they don’t, they have not found themselves yet and you should look elsewhere. If they are consistent, then see if their style is what you are looking for.
Questions - Ask questions until you can get a comfortable feeling. The photographer should be asking you lots of questions to get a feel for you as well. A good photographer will have a detailed questionnaire for you to fill out to get complete details needed for them to give you what you want. You should be asking questions about their process, their timelines, and their delivery. The more questions you ask the better for the both of you. You can be emailing, texting, calling, video calling, or even in person meeting if the photographer has the time. Although an in person meeting before booking is dated for this business, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Comfort - You should be comfortable with your photographer. If you are not comfortable with them, it will definitely show in the photos. Talk about yourself, ask the photographer about themselves, just conversate to get comfortable with each other. Sometimes personalities mesh perfectly, and you become instant friends. Sometimes you and another person are just too different to work comfortably together. If you and your photographer don’t mesh, your session may be awkward or just no fun, and that’s the last thing you want. Talk with your potential photographer before you book your session to be sure they’re a good fit for you.
