I have loved the change in the look of family photos over the recent years. You really don’t see the “canned” studio look anymore, and I’m so glad. I love the candid photos and how they really capture the personalities of the people in them. I’ve been super lucky to know an amazing photographer for over 7 years, she provided a great interview here.
I was provided compensation in exchange for this post. Regardless, all opinions are entirely my own.
Experience
It’s best when finding the right photographer to take a look at their previous work and find out how long they have been in business. Their previous work will give you an idea of what they are capable of doing. Anyone can point a camera, but an experienced photographer can take a simple picture and elevate it with the use of the computer.
Photographer’s Specialty
Every photographer specializes in certain events or photo types. A family photographer might be amazing at capturing candid family photos, but that doesn’t mean they do weddings. Newborn photography is definitely a specialty and only some photographers like to do it. Make sure ask prospective photographers
Price
Professional photographer’s fees are quite inclusive. You are often paying for session planning, lighting research, travel and set up time, posing, editing, uploading and sharing on social media and blogs, disk creation and shipping. Not to mention you are paying an artist to create a work of art for your family to treasure! That’s really an important thing to remember, you are paying to commission art, that’s often why the pricing is higher for a professional photographer.
Time & Delivery
A huge part of finding the right photographer is understanding the time frame for your event and how quickly you need your photographs back. Photographers are often booked months in advance, so don’t be surprised if the photographer you want is booked or charges you a fee for late booking. Also, editing photos takes time, photographers don’t give you instant prints, but they often can give you a few quick edits or “sneak peeks” of the pictures.
Where to Look
Finding a photographer to meet your needs can be a a huge task. Where to even start? Photographer Central is the exact searchable directory you need to find the right photographer for you!
Photographer Central is comprehensive directory of photographers who specialize in every category imaginable, so clients can find the perfect photographer for their next project—be it a corporate event, a family occasion, a wedding, or capturing images of loved ones. Photographer Central lets you search by location, style, and even price! You don’t have to wade through different online searches to find what you actually want to see…the photographer’s work! Photographer Central provides examples of the photographer’s work, easy-to-find contact information, links to their websites and even lets you save favorites and even share who you find with your Facebook friends.
Are you a photographer? Photographer Central doesn’t take commissions and only charges a yearly subscription fee. Photographer Central also provides traffic-monitoring tools so you know exactly how many views your page is getting. It’s a great place to show off your work and get new clients!
Photographers are booking now for the holidays, so if you need a great photographer for your Christmas cards visit Photographer Central today!
Wendy T
Sunday 28th of September 2014
I'd add two things I recommend looking for or considering (as a former professional photographer):
Expressions of the subjects in the sample photos. If you see a string of canned, cheesy smiles you might want to reconsider. Sometimes "smiling with your eyes" is a far better approach.
Wardrobe. If a photographer doesn't give you strong advice on how to dress, I'd question their approach.