Questions to Ask When Choosing a Photographer

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Photographer

So you’re wanting family portraits, a maternity session, newborn photos, an engagement shoot, or something in between? These types of photography sessions are known as Lifestyle Photography and finding the right photography can often be a challenge. You have likely gone on a community Facebook group, asked friend and family for referrals, or tried to Google search for photographers and have been overwhelmed with the number of photographers, but finding a quality one can be difficult. Hopefully this list of questions to ask will help you find the right photographer so that you end up with photos you can enjoy for a lifetime!

When choosing a professional photographer, some qualities to look for include their portfolio of work, experience and expertise in the type of photography you need, their communication and interpersonal skills, and their professionalism and reliability. Additionally, it's important to consider their pricing and availability to ensure they meet your needs, budget, and timeline. Don't forget to read reviews and ask for references before making a final decision.

Here are some questions to consider before booking a photographer:

What is the photographer's style of photography?

• An experienced photographer will have a distinct shooting and editing style that is clearly evident in their photos. This is the result of a photographer who has really honed in on their craft and skill in development of their own personal, unique style and brand.

What is their level of experience?

• A photographer’s experience can “make or break” a photography session and the quality of the photos delivered. Handling and photographing restless children during family sessions, creating real, authentic moments between a couple during engagement shoots, being a baby-whisperer during newborn photos, and purposeful pacing of photography sessions comes with a photographer who has done it a few times (or a lot). Vet your photographer by checking their website, Instagram, Facebook, and doing a Google search to read any reviews and/or testimonials that are available.

Do they have a portfolio of their work that you can review?

• Dive deep into a photographer’s gallery/portfolio- look at full sessions, not just the highlights or Instagram features. Look for consistency in style and composition throughout a full session. Make sure that the photos are consistently in focus, including in low-light situations. Cohesiveness is key and will highlight the photographer’s experience.

What is the photographer's pricing and what is included in their packages?

• Everyone structures their business differently. Some photographers do a session fee + purchasing digitals and some are all-inclusive. Make sure you understand what you are getting for the price you pay. It is common practice for photographers to require a non-refundable retainer to hold your session date.

Do they have liability insurance?

• One quick and easy way to find out if a photographer’s business is professionally legit and legal, other than them having a state business permit, is if they have liability insurance or not. Liability insurance protects them as a business, as well as you as the client, but it also shows whether or not the photographer takes their business seriously and their care for you as the client. An invested photographer and business owner will typically provide the highest quality experience and photos.

Do they have backup equipment?

• Make sure the photographer has extra cameras, lenses, and external flashes, as camera shutters and equipment can fail! Having at least one backup camera and a few lenses per shooter is absolutely standard. Also, ensure they have a back up workflow in place to keep your photos safe! I personally use cameras that back up data to two memory cards simultaneously. Once I get the photos uploaded to my MacBook Pro, I back them up to an external hard drive, which is backed up again to an external SSD, then uploaded to a cloud-based back up within a program called Aftershoot, then finally imported to Lightroom and Adobe Creative Cloud with daily back up of the catalog. As a rule of thumb, the photographer you’re considering should have a workflow in which they back up your photos at least three times.

Will they provide a written contract outlining the terms of the agreement?

• I know, Contract can be an intimidating word. But what a contract really is, it's outlining expectations of the session and photos. This is your "product guarantee". A typical contract will outline their late/cancelation policy, the type of session, gallery delivery timeline, and other pertinent information. You want a clear contract so that the photographer can be held accountable too.

Are they licensed and permitted to shoot in desired location(s)?

• It is super important to make sure your photographer has permission to use certain locations. Shooting on private property requires a Land Use Agreement with the owner and shooting in National parks requires a permit. Bernheim Forest, the Parklands of Louisville, Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are a few examples of locations that require commercial photography permits. Rangers/park officials can stop your session and check the photographer for their permit, business license, and insurance, which can be an awkward experience if they are not permitted. It is best to make sure that the photographer either has a permit for the shooting location or is willing to get one prior to the photography session.

What payment methods do they accept?

• If they ask you to pay them as a "Donation", "Gift", or "Friend" via PayPal, Venmo, or others, this could be a red flag! A legitimate business should not be asking for funds under the guise of donations, gifts, or friends. But what if they say they don't want to pay the extra fees so it's easier to send it as a friend? It’s best not to do it. PayPal and Venmo process transactions a certain way and you lose rights to dispute a transaction you send to a "Friend".Professionals do use Paypal, Venmo, and Other apps. But they should do it legally. It is also a good idea to request an invoice or receipt detailing the type of photography session and what all is included, as well as the scheduled time and date.