How to Find a Good Photographer. 5 Tips For You
You may be surprised to learn that finding the right photographer for your project is hard. It’s not a matter of looking at a photographer’s Instagram page and liking their gallery. Your decision must be based on a lot more factors if you want to find an amazing photographer. And with a ton of options out there, how can you be sure you’ve found the right fit? Here are some important tips to think about when choosing the right photographer.
Decide What Kind of Images You Want First
Photographers tend to specialize, so think about the style of images you want. Do you need real estate architecture shots for your real estate business? Are you hosting an event and prefer an event photographer? Do you need a photographer with a drone for specific aerial shots? Or do you want photos of your family and pets? Each of these requires different professional equipment, different skills, and different artistic approaches. So, once you know the type of images you want, you can start narrowing down the types of photographers you’ll need. Here are some popular categories:
- Portraiture: Headshots, family photos
- Newborn photography
- Pets
- Food and beverage
- Real estate photography
- Casual events: birthday parties, baby showers
- Formal events: weddings, bar mitzvahs, formals
- Event photography: Bands, concerts
- Night events
- Sports photography
- Lifestyle photography
- Conventions: Conferences, exhibits
- Fashion photography
- Product photography
Technical Knowledge
While many people can snap a photo, not all of them can get it technically right. Technical know-how is what separates a decent photographer from a professional one. Professional photographers have a thorough understanding of their craft, whether it’s apertures, lenses, shutter speeds, lighting, and composition. Is the shot in focus? This is crucial. You may have hired a photographer for your son’s soccer game. A professional photographer will need to know how to capture action shots so the results don’t turn out blurry or out of focus.
If you need real estate shots, the photographer will need a steady tripod and professional equipment. While you may not think about these technical details, a professional photographer knows how crucial technical knowledge is for capturing the right images. Plus, their knowledge means they can adapt to any shoot: weather that won’t cooperate or dimly lit rooms. In other words, technical knowledge can be the difference between mediocre photos and visually stunning ones.
Ask to See a More Extensive Gallery
Photographers will always put their best shots on their gallery pages, but if you think about it, that’s just their highlight reel. If you want to dig further, you should ask to see more photos, especially photos that will fit your kind of photo shoot. A strong portfolio is important, yes. But you also want to see extensive experience in the category you need. So, if you’re planning on doing a night shoot, for example, ask to see more night photos from their portfolio. A professional photographer should be able to maintain quality across a variety of different lighting situations and moments, not just in the perfect setups.
Decide on a Budget
Decide on a budget and then choose a photographer who can work within your budget. Try not to go too low or you’ll get what you pay for. Remember, if you want quality, you have to pay for quality. An experienced and professional photographer will usually charge more. On the other hand, the price has to be within a range you’re comfortable spending. Finding this balance is important. Once you know your budget, talk to your top choices, see what they’ll offer, and see what their packages are.
Do You Get Along?
While this tip may not seem particularly important, it can make or break a photo shoot. It’s important that you feel comfortable expressing your ideas. Does the photographer listen or do they just barrel ahead with a concept in their head? If you can communicate well and you’re on the same page from the very beginning of the photo shoot, you’ll probably end up liking the final images. However, if you feel a little misaligned, some details may get lost in translation, and the final images may not be at all what you want.
Find a Photographer in Miami
Need to find a photographer in Miami who can capture what you want? Daria Koso can create stunning, meaningful images that are both authentic and artful. Contact us to find out all the ways we can bring your photo session to life!
