IN SEARCH OF A PHOTOGRAPHER?

Looking for a photographer can be a stressful process, you asked for a recommendation on Facebook and you found that Uncle Tim with his DSLR and John from accounting say they’d love to help you.

But when it comes to hiring a photographer for your next wedding or business purposes like content creation, you have to eventually choose one to hire! Or if it’s for lifestyle, branding and/or product photography, you want someone with domain expertise to help you achieve the look you want.

Don’t worry, I have nothing to sell, this post is for anyone, anywhere who’s looking to hire a photographer. As a professional photographer myself who has shot all sorts of photography needs for over 12 years, I understand how overwhelming it is to choose! And well, I’m here to help you! You can check out my services here!

FIND A REPUTABLE PHOTOGRAPHER

First things first, you’ll have to build a list of photographers to choose from. I’d recommend Google, Facebook, and Instagram to sort through the photographers with the highest ratings. I’d recommend a reputable photographer to avoid one of the many famed photographer horror stories. Though you can always take a chance on a photographer who is new, or doesn’t have many reviews, because of that their prices tend to be cheaper. That doesn’t mean that you must go with photographers who only have major experience and raving reviews, some newbies are extremely talented and even step up to the plate even more for their clients because their excited and appreciative to jump into the field. I know that’s how I was when I first started! Everyone starts somewhere. It’s all about the vibes you feel at first with who you’re choosing. And then there’s pricing. Speaking of price…

FINDING YOUR BUDGET

Remember the old adage, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.” Here’s a ballpark pricing guide, again this is just an idea. Pricing can cost more not surprisingly, depending on the experience of the photographer and their portfolio. Again, this is all just ballpark. In Orlando, Florida – Mid to high range photographers are starting around $3200+ for a 7 to 8 hour day on average, that may or may not include a second shooter. It all just depends.

FIND A SPECIALIST

Now a capable photographer has the technical skill, and enough creativity to shoot any type of photography, no problem at all. But you’ll often find that a photographer who specializes in just a few categories has much more domain expertise and knows a lot more intricacies that your average photographer might overlook. Take something as simple as headshots for example, you can get one at your local CVS or drugstore for your passport for $20, or you can hire a professional photographer, who can charge anywhere from $500+ to $5000. Same goes for any other category; weddings, branding, lifestyle, blogging, newborn, maternity, etc.

FIND A PORTFOLIO THAT RESONATES WITH YOU

Photography is an art, and art is often left up to interpretation. Photographers shoot in different ways, have different editing styles, etc. I’d recommend going through portfolios, and one thing you want to look for is consistency.

Think about this… If you’re playing basketball, no matter your skill, if you shoot enough shots, you’ll eventually hit a 3-pointer. Same thing with photography. If a photographer has been shooting long enough, they can easily build a decent portfolio over the years. Thus I’d really recommend going through their portfolio and look for consistency in style, composition, lighting, posing, editing, etc. Not only that, read their “about me” section on their website, or browse through their social media profiles, that can often tell you a lot about the photographer. Instagram is a great place to check out their portfolio, from getting to know them personally to the style they shoot!

A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE

My last tip, and perhaps most important. Most people naturally hate being in front of the camera, thus you want a photographer who can talk to you, make you feel comfortable, make you even forget that the camera is there in the first place! This is what I strive to do always, with my clients. I understand that my clients are nervous and may feel awkward at times, and I want them to know I understand and work hard to make them feeling comfortable and have fun! Because honestly, it’s not that serious!

Hope this guide helps! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below! And if you’re in need of a photographer, check out my services page!