So you’ve decided it’s time for some nice family photos, or maybe your daughter needs her high school portraits, or she wants to capture the beauty of her new baby. It’s time to find a photographer who will give her the images she wants at a price she can afford.
Relax: there’s a lot of good news here! You can get a top notch photographer for a surprisingly reasonable amount of money. And since every photographer has their own style, you should be able to find someone whose images you admire.
Unfortunately, many people don’t give much thought to choosing a photographer, which usually leads to disappointment and frustration. But by following a few simple steps and spending just a few minutes online, you’ll greatly increase your chances of finding a photographer you like at a good price.
First: keep in mind that there are too many people who bought a big black camera and started advertising professional photography services on Craig’s List. Owning a large camera (also known as a digital single-lens reflex or DSLR) doesn’t make anyone a professional photographer. The advent of digital photography, combined with the relatively low prices of DSLRs in the last 5-10 years, has spawned a generation of “wannabe” photographers. There are two main drawbacks to this situation: customers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the quality of the images they are getting from these novice photographers, and the reputation of the photography profession has suffered. True professional photographers cringe at the proliferation of inexperienced and unskilled novices.
Fortunately, there are some easy ways to spot someone posing as a professional:
1. First, look at the portfolio/gallery of images that they display on their website or ads. If there are no images, watch out! This is a big red flag. If there is a portfolio of images, examine the portraits closely. There should be many images, not just three or four; many images will give you a more accurate idea of the style and consistency of the photographer. There should be a variety of poses and image types; this demonstrates experience and creativity. Two images in the portfolio must not be of the same person; this indicates that the photographer is inexperienced and only had a friend model for him/her to set up a portfolio.
2. Do the photographer’s images look like the photos you take with your camera at home? If so, this person is not a true professional. Images taken by an experienced photographer with the right lenses and lighting will look dramatically different than anything he can do with a small point-and-shoot camera. Backgrounds should be heavily blurred so that the subject of the portrait stands out in sharp relief. There must be plenty of light in the subjects’ eyes to avoid “raccoon eyes” created by the sun overhead. Tip: If your subject’s face is exposed to direct sunlight, the photographer is most likely not an experienced professional. Very few professionals will photograph a subject’s face in direct sunlight.
3. Does the photographer have a website? What is the web address? A proper professional will invest the relatively small amount of money needed to purchase and host your own domain name. For example, www. nombredelosfotografos.com or www. companyname.com. If the person has a web address that includes the words “freewebs” or “blogspot” or “wordpress”, then the person has a free site and was not willing to spend even the minimum amount required to have a domain name and a professional website. What does that say about the person’s attitude toward their business and equipment?
4. How much does the photographer charge? When looking for a good portrait photographer, the most important thing is not the price. You can spend $50 on a portrait session but hate all the resulting images. And you can spend $200 for a session and love all the images, use them as Christmas pictures, and display them in your house for years to come. Between these two scenarios, which was the most profitable? To some extent, in photography, you get what you pay for. The true professionals will be paid according to their experience and level of equipment. If you see an ad for free portraits, or a $50 portrait session, or a $100 session that includes a $50 print credit, this is an indication that the photographer is inexperienced or not in demand.
5. What kind of photography does the person intend to do? Generally speaking, you want a photographer who specializes a bit in portraiture. It is common for portrait photographers to also shoot weddings. But I would be wary of someone who says they do portraiture, wedding, corporate photography, architectural photography, event photography, commercial photography, fashion, sports, fine art, and wildlife photography!
Once you’ve used these tips to make a list of legitimate photographers, focus on style. This is the most important part of selecting a portrait photographer. The style of photography is something very personal. Someone who considers himself the best photographer in the world might take portraits of your family that you hate, depending on his style. Some photographers shoot exclusively in black and white, or use a tilt/shift lens to blur large portions of the image, or use PhotoShop to significantly alter the original look of the image. Others may take close-ups of your child’s shoe or headband instead of focusing on the face. Some may only shoot in their studio with formal backgrounds, while others shoot outdoors or at home. This is all a matter of style and is crucial to finding a photographer you are happy with.
Now is the time to contact the photographers for more information. How long have you been professional photographers? Do they attend seminars, take classes, read photography books, and constantly seek to improve? Do they teach, publish articles, or are admired by their peers?
More practically, should you do the portraits in their studio or will they come to your house with all their equipment? How many changes of clothes will they allow? What prices do you charge for the package you want? These details will help you make a final decision.
Once you’ve chosen a photographer and agreed to session details, you should expect to sign a contract and pay a deposit to reserve the photographer’s time.
