Choosing the right photographer

So you did a google search for “Launceston Photographer” and now you’ve got 700 million tabs open and aren’t any closer to making a decision than you were when you opened google 3 days ago. It can be a mind field and because photography is a largely unregulated industry it’s not like comparing a Big Mac to a Whopper, every photographer runs their business differently so it’s important to do your research to find the right photographer for you.

So here are some helpful questions to ask and hints on what to look for when choosing a photographer to help find the right photographer for you!

Style.

This is probably the most important part of the process, look through their portfolio or online gallery/instagram/facebook pages. Photographers tend to have a style they will stick to, do you love the images in their portfolio? Because this is the style of images you will end up with. Do their images have a “golden hour” tint to them or are they true to life colours? or are they only black and white? Do their images look super retouched with skin smoothing or are they more natural and show all the freckles and spots? I can tell you that as a photographer the number one complaint we all have is when clients ask us to edit images completely differently to our style and what is displayed in our portfolio. So first and foremost find someone who’s style you love.

This is Your Session too!

Straight off the bat of saying don’t ask a photographer to change their style, you should still find a photographer who is going to take your wants and needs into consideration. If you have a specific idea for what you want your family portraits to look like, share it with your photographer, they’ll be able to tailor your shoot to suit you, or they’ll be able to tell you their not the photographer for you. I have no problem with referring newborn clients who want a fully posed newborn session with props to one of my photographer friends, it’s not a style of photography that I do, and I don’t want to disappoint my clients, I would rather they have an amazing experience with someone else than be disappointed with my images. I like to have a pre shoot consult with my clients so we can plan your session together, I know every client is different and it’s important to make sure your personalities are a part of the session.

Prints vs. Digital Files

Does your photographer offer printed products from your session or are they digital only? or maybe a mix of the two? One of the things I like to consider is WHY you want to spend the money on a professional photographer? Is it because you want some family portraits for the walls of your home or are you only looking to update your Facebook profile picture? For me personally, I offer printed products, and I include a digital file of any images you purchase at no additional cost. I’m really passionate about my printing, I do the majority of it myself and the special products I don’t print I send to a lab in Queensland I’ve partnered with that I trust with my life. I don’t believe I’m “finishing the job” without providing something physical you can hold in your hands, thats archival quality and will last for generations. I also don’t want you printing my images at Kmart!

If you’re choosing a photographer who doesn’t offer printed products because you think it will be cheaper, make sure you do your research, often this isn’t always the case! Which brings us to…..

Budget

Is the photographer within your budget? Do they have a set package price which includes the session fee or can you pay the session fee and then purchase your images à la carte in the quantity/form that you want them? Is there a minimum order? Do they have payment plans available or will you be required to pay the full amount up front? Just to mention a few questions you can ask any potential photographer! It’s really important that any photographer you choose is completely transparent with any pricing from the get go, before you even book in a session. Maybe you’re paying an all inclusive fee, make sure you’re clear on exactly what that includes/how many images and if there are any additional costs if you want to purchase extra images above your package or would like printed products.

I personally have a photography session fee (which is $150) and then offer a range of different printed products for you to choose from. I make every single one of my clients come into the studio before I even considering booking a shoot in and I go through all of the different products and prices with them. I think it’s important to do this in person so you have a chance to see and touch the products. I don’t have a minimum order and offer payment plans over 3 or 6 months.

General Good Vibes

The final piece of advice I can offer is to find a photographer that you click with. Meet with them in person, is this someone who’s going to get along with your kids and make your whole family feel comfortable in front of their camera. Have you ever had to make small talk with someone who you just feel indifferent towards? Now imagine you’ve gotta do that for 90 minutes while they take your photo… Generally speaking it’s not going to result in natural, relaxed family portraits. So make sure it’s someone you click with and you can easily get along with!

There’s no right or wrong way to run a photography business, we all have our own way of doing things, but hopefully this will equip you with the questions to ask so you can make sure you end up with the right photographer for your family!

And if you think I might be the photographer for your family then you can book one of those pre-shoot consults I mentioned here