Photo cred: My awesome friend Brooke of Brooke Ellen Photography

Choosing A Professional Photographer

I’m switching it up & posting about something a little different on the blog today… I’m going to talk about how to choose a professional photographer in Western MA that’s the best fit for you.

9 out of 10 times, you’ll get what you pay for. There is a reason why a professional photographer charges as much as they do. They have spent countless years, months, days, and hours learning & honing their craft. They spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on certain things like studio rent, insurance, website hosting, taxes, good quality equipment, and continued education (the list could go on). And after all that is said & done, the photographer themselves still needs to be paid a salary. My point is, being a photographer isn’t as simple as taking some photos for an hour & making 100% profit. There is sooooo much time, blood, sweat & tears involved.

Pretty much anyone these days can buy a good camera. The real question is, do they know how to use it? Do they know how to run a business? Do they have the experience & knowledge for the type of shoot you are looking for? Bottom line is, I want you to be in the know of what to look for when choosing a professional photographer.

To help give you a bit more knowledge, I’ve made a little list of the top things that I would recommend looking for when choosing a professional photographer.

1. Does the photographer have a website? 

I feel it’s very important that a photographer has a website & not just a social media account (Facebook/Instagram). Can you find information on their website about their services? Is their site kept up to date? Do they blog? Are you able to see their recent work? I feel having a website & keeping it current shows a little bit more professionalism & care for their business.

2. Does the photographer require a contract to book their services? 

I almost feel like this should be #1. The contract not only protects the photographer, but also you as the client. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had clients come to me & say their photographer cancelled on them at the last minute (which is no good when it comes to a time sensitive session, like a newborn!). When I ask if the client had a contract with the photographer, 90% of the time, they say no. This is a huge “no no” in my book. I’ve had a contract since very early on in my business, so there is no reason not to have one even if the photographer is just starting out. Having a contract shows professionalism.

3. Image quality: 

This one is a tough one. The average person may not see quality differences in images taken by a seasoned pro vs. an amateur. I’m going to use myself as an example. Things to look out for: the latest editing fad, bad editing in general, spot color (gasp! please no!), and sharpness of the images. Here are a few images from very early on in my business. (Everyone starts somewhere right??!)

The three images below are from 2010

I’m hoping you can see the difference of image quality between them?! I’m certainly not saying using the most experienced & most expensive photographer is the way to go. You have to find a photographer that is the best fit for YOU. The next time you are in need of photography services, here are some tips to think about when choosing a photographer that could be the right fit…

4. Style

Do you like their style of images that they are posting on their website, blog, or social media? Are the images light & airy? bright? moody? dark? Does the photographer use natural light or flash? Which do you prefer? Is their style of images photojournalistic?

Do they do a lot of heavy editing or keep their images more natural? If there is a certain style that you are drawn to & you don’t see those types of images on the photographer’s website, chances are you would be disappointed if you chose them as your photographer. Don’t choose a photographer who loves to shoot with off-camera flash & produces lots of images with deeper shadows & more contrasty photos when that is not what you are looking for.

My style is clean & bright. I use mostly natural light (except for newborn sessions and in churches or at wedding receptions), minimal editing & love my images to have a warmer feel to them.

5. Price

Most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better. If you find a photographer whose style you like, the next thing would be to find out if they are in your budget. Realistically, a professional photographer in the western MA area probably isn’t going to charge any less than $200 for a session (unless it’s a mini session or something of that nature), but you also don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to get a good quality product.

When you are searching for a photographer, you have to keep in mind that your portraits are going to be an investment. Remember why you are having photos taken in the first place. To display or hang on your wall right? So don’t always be so quick to choose the first photographer to offer up all the digitals for a cheap price. Sometimes less is more & digital images sitting on a USB or on your computer are not doing your investment any justice.

6. Experience/Expertise

If you are searching for a family photographer, you should be searching for a photographer that photographs a lot of families. Sounds like a no brainer right?? You’d be surprised at how many people think that just because someone is a photographer, they are good at all areas of photography. Can I photograph a family? Yes. But is it my area of expertise? not really. Are there other family photographers out there that would be able to do a better job than I? absolutely. Finding a photographer that specializes in the area of photography that you are looking for, is a good way to ensure that photographer is the right fit for you.

I  hope you found this helpful & can remember some of these tips the next time you are searching for a professional photographer in Western MA to capture your happy memories for you!

Do you have further questions? I’d be happy to help! Feel free to CONTACT ME or email at alison@alisonmariephotography.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Alison