Hiring a Photographer

With so many Digital cameras on the market today it’s getting more and more difficult to know if you’re hiring a true professional. Here’s a few questions you may want to ask to help make certain you are investing your time and money with a true professional.

How long have you been a professional? You’ll want to know how long they have been a PRO, not how long they’ve ‘been taking pictures’… Taking pictures since you were a child doesn’t make anyone a professional… I’ve been driving a car since I was 15 and have gotten my share of speeding tickets. But, I hardly think that makes me a professional racecar driver

What kind of professional training do you have? Professional photography requires truely technical skill and to accomplish it on a professional level advanced training is a must!

Do you have any kind of certifications or any other professional credentials? Many are offered; few are received…

Are you fully Licensed? Do you really want to do business with someone who hasn’t done this?

Do you have liability insurance? What if your wedding images are corrupted or damaged? Is your photographer covered? Or, worse yet, what if someone is injured during a photo session? What happens then? I’ve seen people trip over cords, lightstands and even fall off of tables! I’ve even seen a strobe light explode. You never know what can happen!

Do you have a Studio? Many new shooters claim to specialize in ‘outdoor’ photography, but often this is because they do not have a permanent studio and have not learned professional studio lighting techniques. MOST well trained photographic artists will JUMP at the opportunity to fine tune their abilities to manipulate light whether it be indoors or outdoors and NEVER pigeon hole themselves into any one type of work. Beware of those who claim to offer better pricing because they work strictly “on location”… Photographers who have their own studios generally have more return clientel and can many times offer even better pricing!

What kind of equipment do you use and do you have back-up equipment?
Hint: a Canon Rebel, XTI or NIkon D40-D70 were not designed to produced professional images. Also, professional LENSES are just as important as the camera itself…

What professional LAB or PROFESSIONAL PRINTING method do you use?

What PROFESSIONAL type of paper do you use and what is the longevity of your images?
Hint: Many new photographers use mini-labs and may even have your images printed at a pharmacy or discount store as they may not have enough business to open an account with a reputable Professional Lab. Beware of the fact that you may just get what you pay for when it comes to hiring the photographer who is not well established and is offering DISCOUNT PRICING!

THERE ARE MANY UP AND COMING TRUE ARTISTS AND MANY OF THEM WOULD NEVER MISLEAD THEIR CLIENTS IN ANY WAY. BUT, IN TODAY’S MARKET, THE CONSUMER HAS TO BE MORE SAVVY THAN EVER WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING AND HIRING THE PROFESSIONAL JUST RIGHT FOR THEM. Be aware of the MANY new shooters entering this industry who have LITTLE or NO technical training. Don’t be fooled by a few nice images on a website, it’s the overall body of work and client history that truely count! I’ll be happy to share mine with you at any time…

sincerely,
Cindi K