How to choose a Photographer
Whether you’re looking for a Wedding Photographer, Commercial Photographer or Children’s Photographer, you should always do your homework and research as much as you can.
Start by looking at the website. If you like what you see, call the photographer and if you feel comfortable, ask him for contact details of some of his clients. Always make sure you are speaking to the people you think you are speaking to by asking questions about the day and what they thought of the photographer, what they thought of the way they worked etc. Always try to get more than one contact. If you still like what you saw and heard, try to get some information on the photographer’s background. One of the most important factors is how long they have been in the industry. You can also find out a lot by going to meet the photographer in person. It’s important you like their personality, that you feel comfortable in their presence and feel like you can trust them to do a great job.
Also if you do go to meet the photographer in person, do look around their office/studio. If it looks amateurish, then I doubt their work will be much better. Try to look out for photographs, albums or anything like that as that could be a sign of how busy they get, although how busy a photographer is doesn’t always reflect their standard of work. Its amazing how some low standard photographers get work from great search engine optimizations - Top of Google etc.
Sometimes I do get a potential client of mine, who says they like my work, but they can get the same elsewhere, but cheaper. I always say to them, if they mind giving me the other Photographers name and website and explain, that if they are anywhere near as good as me (not trying to sound big headed here), then I will see if I can match or beat the price.
I can honestly say that if I thought they were good and the price was cheaper than mine, and there was no way I could match it, then I would say the same to my potential client and wish them all the best. Unfortunately (or I should say fortunately for me) that doesn’t really happen. If someone is cheaper than me, it’s because their work is nowhere near as good a mine and that comes from the bottom of my heart. Not many photographers at the age of 38 have 20 years experience running their own photography business.