Our Mini series “What To Look For When Hiring a Professional Photographer”, was sparked mostly by client inquiries.
Recently we have been getting a lot of clients asking if we can help them “fix” bad photos taken by other “Pro’s”. Some of these are really, I mean really bad. Red eyes, blurry, way to dark, grainy or “noisy” as we call it. So I decided to list a number of things that you should look for when selecting a photographer. Here goes!
1. Are they a full time pro, or a weekend warrior who plays at being a photographer for extra pocket change?
2. Are they insured? Do they have liability insurance?
3. How long have they been in business? Do they have a physical address for a studio?
4. Do they have a website where you can see clear large samples of their work?
5. Does their website contain REAL Verifiable Reviews? Can you contact the people that have reviewed their work?
6. Do they belong to any professional photography organizations such as PPA, ASMP, ABC, MDPPA, NACE ? If they do not, or do not know what any of these are, RUN!
7. Can you see actual physical copies of their work such as albums, photo books, framed and matted images?
8. Have they won any awards for their work? Can they prove it?
9. Are they a preferred vendor with any institutions or venues?
10. What equipment do they use? This may require a little research on your part. Most pro’s will use Canon 5D MK III, Canon 1 DX, or Nikon D3 or D4. If their camera has a pop up flash, again RUN!
There are a lot more things like, are they friendly, do you click with them, is their style what you are looking for. These are the basics. If who ever you choose can answer yes to these questions and can prove it, you have a much better chance of having a great photographic experience.
By the way Robbie and entire crew Bayline Studios, of course answers YES and more to all of these 🙂