5 Tips for Choosing a Photographer

Jun 25

Choosing who to invest in for your family photography is not always an easy decision. After ten years in this business, I have learned that finding the right photographer/client relationship is where the magic happens with your images. Before spending your hard-earned money on a photographer, please consider these 5 tips.

Know what you’re looking for. Do you want some inexpensive snapshots for your holiday card this year or are you looking for more high-end heirloom-quality images? Both are perfectly fine choices, but you are not going to be able to get the latter at a snapshot price. Know this going in and search accordingly.
Look at their style. When you look around a photographer’s website do you see posed images with everyone looking at the camera or do you see candid, everyday slice-of-life photographs. You might even see both! Photographers put what they are best at on their website. Make sure that what you prefer is what you see. If not, it’s best to keep looking.
Are they in the right niche for you? All photographers do not photograph everything. If you’re trying to have the photographer you used for your wedding take your newborn photographs, make sure that is a niche they are in on a regular basis. If it’s not something you see in their body of work, it might yield better results to find a photographer specializing in newborns.
Do you like their personality? Photography sessions are personal. You’ll likely be spending many hours of your time interacting with this person. They will be talking and playing with your kids and possibly coming into your home. Be sure to look through their social media, their captions, comments, and blog posts. Be sure their personality is one you like.
Request a full sample gallery or browse their blog. This is a big one. A photographer’s portfolio typically showcases the top 5% of their work. If you see out of focus or poor images in their portfolio, this should be a red flag. One way to be more certain about the photography you can expect from them is to request to see a full gallery of images that they have delivered to a client. You can also simply browse their blog for complete sessions.

I have found over the years that the more aligned I am with my client’s style, the better the images with be. I work to be up front about the type of photography I provide and am skilled at. If you want a posed, styled shoot in a designer dress on a mountaintop - I am NOT your photographer. If you want photos of you and your kids running around your back yard with a bubble machine or of your newborn cuddling with you in their nursery- I’m a good choice! If you take these tips into account, finding the perfect photographer for you should be much easier!