Searching for the right photographer for you and your family can be a daunting task. Professional photography has become an extremely competitive market because of the increasing availability of digital equipment. There are many websites to sort through, blogs to pour over, and advertisements everywhere. It can seem almost impossible to find a perfect fit! The good news is that with a bit of time and effort, you can do your research and find a photographer that’s just right for you.
start close to home
A great way to start your photographer-seeking journey is by asking friends and family if they recommend anyone in the area. The chances are good that they’ve worked with (or know someone who’s worked with) a great photographer for portraits or life events. Chances are also good that a photographer who’s worked well with people close to you will also work well with you!
online resources
Social media and internet searches are also great ways to find local photographers. Most professional photographers have a solid online web presence with portfolios of their work for you to browse. Once you’ve found a few studios you’re interested in working with, don’t be shy about setting up interviews! Schedule a phone call or casual in-person meeting to get a feel for the photographer and their process for creating images. It will quickly become apparent whether it’s a good fit for both of you!
Hint: It’s always a good idea to ask a photographer to see a complete gallery of images from photoshoots. A good photographer will have a consistent style they carry throughout an entire set of photographs. So you want to be sure that you will get a whole gallery full of images you love, not just one or two.
What to look for & ask about to find the perfect fit
Pricing
It’s no secret that great art is expensive, and this can be the case for photographers as well. However, remember that these images are an investment – in yourself and your family. Good photographers intend your pictures to be family heirlooms and plan for this by offering archival-grade print products built to hold their color and detail for a lifetime.
Although choosing the least expensive photographer may seem like an attractive option, there is most likely a reason they’re so cheap! Great photographers with good client service are typically booked solid and price themselves to reflect this. If budget is the primary concern in selecting a photographer, try contacting a few “dream” photographers and telling them your intended price range. They may be willing to work with you and offer payment options or smaller packages to fit within your budget.
Personality
Have you ever met a new friend, significant other, or business contact that you “click” with? Your personalities seem to fit as though you’ve known each other far longer than you have, and you feel comfortable in conversation. Finding the right photographer should feel this way as well – at least to a certain extent! You are hiring a photographer to document you or your family, understand what makes you unique and bring out the best in you on camera. It’s essential to find someone you feel comfortable with who can see what makes you who you are and translate that into visual art. This unique chemistry will make all the difference in the final images!
Hint: Photography is an art; as such, you can expect every photographer to offer a unique style of imagery. You don’t have to be an art expert to decide whether or not you like a style – just browse through their portfolio. If the photographs you see make you feel good and are something you could envision in your home, chances are the photographer is a stylistically good fit for you!
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