At some point in our lives, we all need a professional photographer. Whether you need a photo for your web site, LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, product shots for your business or photos for your wedding, there are some things that are best left to the pros. Below are some tips for hiring the right photographer for your business needs.
Identify your goal for the images
- Product photography for a website
- Product photography for a printed catalog
- Portraits or head shots
- Environmental photographs to tell the story of your business on your website
Referrals
- Keep your eyes open for photography you like
- Ask friends and colleagues for recommendations
- Many people have a go-to photographer that they trust
- Make sure to be specific about what type of photography you are looking for
- Use Google to search for keywords that fit with your goals. For instance, if you are a law firm and you want traditional head shots for your attorneys, you could search “law firm portrait photographer” or “law firm head shot photographer.” However, if you are a law firm and you want something a little different for your promotional materials, you could search for “portrait photographer” or “environmental portrait photographer” to find a wider variety of styles
Take the time to look at each photographer’s website and look out for the following:
- Is their work consistent?
- Do they show enough images to demonstrate their skill?
- Do the images look like they are from multiple shoots or do they look like someone took a bunch of pictures of cousin Jimmy for a quick fix website?
- Compare the work of several photographers side by side – you will start to see large differences in the quality of work of photographers who claim to be professionals
- Look at client testimonials and reviews to see if the photographer has a good reputatiion
Consider your budget
- If these photos are important enough for you to seek out a professional photographer, expect to pay a professional photographer’s rate
- Research market rates. There is a lot of information on the internet about professional photography rates and you will see that exceptional work is not cheap
Contact
- Once you narrow down your choices, call or email several photographers for rates – communicate what you are looking for as clearly as possible, including where the images will be used, how many images you need
- Compare the work/rates and the pros and cons of each photographer to narrow down your choices
Meet face-to-face with the photographer before making your final decision
- Part of finding the right photographer is finding the right personality fit
- A good photographer will ask a lot of questions about the project to get a very thorough sense of what you are looking for
- Great photographers may even turn down a project because it’s not a good fit. If they have a recommendation, make sure to follow up on it
Finding a professional photographer for high quality business photos is not an easy task, but it does not have to be incredibly difficult either. Thorough research and clear communication are your best tools, and it is well worth the time and effort it takes to do both. Too often, business owners choose a less expensive photographer to save money, but end up having to reshoot when the images are disappointing or do not serve the intended purpose. Avoid paying twice by hiring a true professional and being very clear about your expectations.
Pinstripe Marketing offers professional photography as one of our many services. Photography is one aspect of a complete marketing strategy – our images are created to fit the story of each brand we work with. From environmental portraits for editorial use to modern head shots for your website, Pinstripe Marketing can help you create beautiful images specifically for your project.
