What to look for in a photographer…

There are so many styles of Photography, various packages available – digital/print or both, studio, natural light.

What should you look for when searching out a photographer for your newborn, children, family or wedding photography.

1. Style – Search for a photographer with a style you like. Style will be personal to each photographer, although some may look similar, its never something that can be truly copied or reproduced from one photographer to another without the style being different. Personally my style is Lifestyle Natural Candid Photography, this is what I personally enjoy. There are many photographers who prefer Studio Photography – its what their style is and what they enjoy! 🙂 When searching for a photographer, check out the various styles and think of what you as a couple or family have as your own style – afterall you want the photography to reflect who you truly are!

2. Budget – Custom photography is always going to be more expensive than going to Walmart, Sears etc, simply because you are getting custom 1 on 1 session time with the photographer at the location of your choice AND your images are being retouched and edited prior to you getting your digital images or prints. With a custom photographer you are investing in the time and talent of that photographer. Personally, as a mother I know the value images hold of my children, which is why my sessions and collections are designed (and priced) around providing the edited digital images to my clients.

3. Lighting – does the photographer use studio lights, natural light, flash? Ask what they use. Personally I do about 90% of my photography in natural light, I do have a speedlight which I do use if lighting conditions are low. What do YOU as the client want as a lighting look in your photos?

4. What is the photographers process? This will help you understand the amount of work which the photographer puts into each session. Personally I shoot completely in RAW, I do this as the quality is higher for the client, with a RAW image their are aspects of the digital negative which can be adjusted, tweaked etc which you cannot do in a jpg only image. The RAW images are then exported to a jpg which is what will be used for the final editing process and then provided to the client. This process is slightly longer however it guarantees a much higher quality of images for the clients photos.

5. What equipment does the photographer use? The equipment does not make the photographer by any means, however the photographer having the knowledge of WHY to use WHAT equipment – does! For anyone who is not into photography, the equipment will seem foreign to them and really to a client it doesnt matter – as long as the photographer knows how to properly use it (beware of a ‘photographer’ who shoots on auto).  Personally I would not be offended if a client asked me how I shot – its not like if I tell them I shoot in ONLY RAW and Manual that I would worried about “being copied”. I have invested in pro quality equipment as I prefer natural light and shoot in low lighting situations. Also the lens that I use are fixed aperture – meaning once I set my settings on the camera, unless I change them, they stay the same.

6. Ask around. If you are going to invest in family photography ask around and see what recommendations family and friends have. Also check out the website and the photographers work. It is of course good to check out the photographer online first, however its also important to ask around – word of mouth is an excellent way!

7. Booking times/Flexibility. Its important to know if the photographer is only during business hours in a studio or if they have flex session times.

8. Prints and Products. Can or does the photographer offer a quality print option product for your photography. Personally as a photographer having photos printed in 4×6 or even 5×7 at Walmart or any place like that is honestly not an issue, they are cheap and for photos that size the quality is acceptable. However, again my personal opinion, if you are going to invest in enlarging photos to display in your home its very important to choose a quality product.

9. Be safe. Does the photographer have insurance? This is important even on a part time business or casual business aspect. This protects not only the photographers equipment, however also protects the client *should* anything happen. Public vs Private property – be aware of the property you would like the photographer to shoot at and be respectful if it is private property. Most times if you ask permission the land owner wont have an issue – as long as the property is left as it was when you arrived!

10. Fun & Seriousness… Being a photographer is a “job”, there is learning which happens all of the time, business promotion, insurance, office time, computer and camera equipment etc which all goes along with what happens after the session, the process of downloading images, culling, correcting white balance, colour/tone adjustments, clarity etc, personally I do this by hand for each image before I export from Lightroom 3 and into Photoshop CS5 to complete the edit process. Being a photographer also MUST be FUN! Especially with children, the atmosphere needs to be laid back, relaxed and fun – lots of laughing and just letting clients truly be themselves!