How to choose a good portrait photographer

So you’ve decided it’s time for some nice family photos, or maybe your daughter needs her high school portraits, or wants to capture the beauty of her new baby. It’s time to find a photographer who will give her the images she wants at a price she can afford.

Relax: there is a lot of good news here! You can get a top-notch photographer for a surprisingly reasonable amount of money. And since every photographer has her own style, you should be able to find someone whose images you admire.

Unfortunately, many people don’t give much thought to choosing a photographer, which usually leads to disappointment and frustration. But by following a few simple steps and spending just a few minutes on the internet, you’ll greatly increase your chances of finding a photographer you like at a good price.

First: keep in mind that there are too many people who bought a big black camera and started advertising professional photography services on Craig’s List. Owning a big camera (also known as a digital single-lens reflex camera or DSLR) doesn’t make anyone a professional photographer. The advent of digital photography, combined with the relatively low prices of DSLRs over the last 5-10 years, has spawned a generation of “wannabe” photographers. There are two main drawbacks to this situation: clients are becoming increasingly frustrated with the quality of images they get from these novice photographers, and the reputation of the photography profession has suffered. Real professional photographers cringe at the proliferation of inexperienced and unqualified novices.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to spot someone posing as a professional:

1. First of all, look at the portfolio/gallery of images that they show on their website or ads. If there are no images, watch out! This is a big red flag. If there is a portfolio of images, examine the portraits closely. There should be many images, not just three or four; many images will give you a more accurate idea of ​​the photographer’s style and consistency. There should be a variety of poses and types of images; this shows experience and creativity. Two images in the portfolio must not be of the same person; this indicates that the photographer is inexperienced and just had a friendly model for him/her to establish a portfolio.

2. Do the photographer’s images resemble the photos you take with your camera at home? If so, this person is not a true professional. Pictures taken by an experienced photographer with the right lenses and lighting will look dramatically different than anything he can do with a small point-and-shoot camera. Backgrounds should be very blurred so that the subject of the portrait stands out in sharp relief. There should be plenty of light in the subjects’ eyes to avoid “raccoon eyes” created by the sun overhead. Tip: If the subject’s face is in direct sunlight, the photographer is most likely not an experienced professional. Very few professionals will photograph a subject’s face in direct sunlight.

3. Does the photographer have a website? What is the web address? A proper professional will spend the relatively small amount of money required to purchase and host your own domain name. For example, www. nameofphotographers.com or www. companyname.com. If the person has a web address that includes the words “freewebs” or “blogspot” or “wordpress”, then the person has a free site and was not willing to spend even the minimum amount required to have a domain name and password. professional website. What does that say about the person’s attitude toward the business and her team?

4. How much does the photographer charge? When looking for a good portrait photographer, the most important thing is not the price. You can spend $50 on a portrait session but you hate all the resulting images. And you can spend $200 on a shoot and love all the images, use them as Christmas images, and display them in your home for years to come. Between these two scenarios, which was the most profitable? To some extent, in photography, you get what you pay for. True professionals will get paid according to their experience and equipment level. If you see an ad for free portraits, or a $50 portrait session, or a $100 session that includes a $50 printing credit, this is an indication that the photographer is inexperienced or not in demand.

5. What type of photography does the person intend to take? Generally speaking, you want a photographer who specializes a bit in portraiture. It is common for portrait photographers to also shoot weddings. But I would be wary of someone who says they do portrait, wedding, corporate photography, architectural photography, event photography, commercial photography, fashion, sports, fine art, and wildlife photography!

Once you’ve used these tips to build a list of legitimate photographers, focus on style. This is the most important part of selecting a portrait photographer. The style of photography is something very personal. Someone who is considered the best photographer in the world could take portraits of your family that you hate, depending on their style. Some photographers shoot exclusively in black and white, or use a tilt/shift lens to blur large portions of the image, or use PhotoShop to significantly alter the original look of the image. Others may take close-ups of their child’s shoe or headband instead of focusing on the face. Some may only shoot in their studio with formal backgrounds, while others shoot outdoors or at home. This is all a matter of style and it is crucial to find a photographer you are happy with.

Now is the time to contact the photographers for more information. How long have they been professional photographers? Do they attend seminars, take classes, read photography books, and constantly seek to improve? Do they teach classes, publish articles or are they admired by their peers?

More practically, should you do the portraits in their studio or will they come to your house with all their equipment? How many changes of clothing will you allow? What prices do you charge for the package you want? These details will help you make a final decision.

Once you have chosen a photographer and agreed on the details of the session, you should expect to sign a contract and pay a deposit to reserve the photographer’s time.