It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is particularly true for businesses that wish to create a brand for their products or services. When it comes to advertising, professional photography services become a necessity, not a luxury.
If you choose a great commercial photographer, you can quickly grab the attention of your intended audience with fantastic pictures, and hopefully, increase your sales. On the other hand, a poor photographer will do little for your company. Here are a few guidelines on how to choose the best professional photographer for your company.
4 Tips on How to Choose the Best Professional Photographer
Assess Your Needs
The first step in choosing a good photographer for your business is to evaluate your needs. You have to ask yourself some questions, such as the purpose you want the pictures to serve, who your intended audience is and what images that will best attract the attention of your audience.
You also need to consider the medium through which you intend to share the photos. Are the pictures for a billboard, an Instagram post, an ad campaign or your website? Each of these media has slightly different photography requirements, and you want to to choose a photographer who can ably handle these requirements.
Moreover, take some time to consider whether a photographer’s style is consistent with your brand. If your business revolves around selling fun items, you do not want pictures that create a sombre mood. No matter how skilled a photographer is, if their work does not correspond with your general branding, you will do well to keep looking for another photographer.
Gauge the Photographer
Once you find a photographer who meets your needs, the next step should be to assess their ability, specialization, professionalism and experience. First, look at the basics of the photographer’s business. Are they insured? What kind of equipment do they use? Will you have to sign a contract? What is their primary photography style?
If you are satisfied with the answers to those questions, proceed to evaluate the photographer’s professionalism. Can you count on them to show up on time for shoots, and to deliver results by the deadline? Do they dress smartly? Are they respectful of those around them? Do they speak politely? Do they take time to listen? If the answers to these questions are in the affirmative, then you can proceed to gauge the photographer’s enthusiasm for your project.
You can usually tell how engaged a photographer is in your project based on the questions they ask you about it. The best photographers are detail-oriented to a fault. They may also come across as obsessive, but that is just their way of showing that they will give your project the best. A photographer who glosses over the crucial issues in your project is one you should quickly pass over.
Look at Their Portfolio
Any professional photographer worth their salt will have a diverse portfolio to showcase their work. When you are shopping for a photographer, look critically at their portfolio. You want to ensure, first, that you like their work. If the photos they take do not match your expectations, there is a good chance that you won’t like the work they will do for you either.
Secondly, read client reviews about a specific photographer before you hire them. What do people say about working with this photographer? Are they timely in delivering the pictures, or do clients have to push them to get their images? Is the whole experience smooth and pleasant, or should you expect a lot of conflicts? If you like what you hear about a photographer, go ahead and hire them.
Cost
There is no denying that professional photography will cost you a pretty penny. What you need to do is ensure that you get your money’s worth by choosing a photographer who takes quality images.
It is best to have a conversation about pricing before the photographer embarks on the project. Will the photographer be charging you for the creative work and the license to use their images, or will they charge licensing fees only? What are the limits of the license? For instance, can you print the pictures on paper even if they were meant for your website? For how long can you display the images?
Moreover, discuss additional costs that could crop up during a photoshoot. You may have to pay for models, makeup and even transport. One way to lower these additional costs is to choose a local photographer so that you don’t have to pay high transport fees. Additionally, choose a photographer who knows other creatives like makeup artists and models. This will not only save you time and work, but it could also save you some money.
Conclusion
Choosing a good photographer for your business may not be the most straightforward task, but it is also far from impossible. By following a few simple tips, you can save yourself an enormous amount of stress and worry. Start by implementing the guidelines in this blog post, and you will undoubtedly find a great commercial photographer.
