How do I decide which photographer to choose?

Hello again,

Today we're talking a little bit about how you can decide which photographer will be best for you!

There are a few factors that we'll talk about, but the honest to goodness and frank answer is: you pick the photographer that YOU love! Meaning you love their photos, their style, their personality and you get each other. You're in sync. You connect. You jive. You get what I mean.

But to get to that point you want to look at the situation holistically. So here's what I would consider when booking a photographer.

1. What session am I looking for?

This might seem obvious, but if you're looking for a newborn session and the photographers you find specialize in graduate or wedding photos, chances are you should keep looking. Many photographers are jacks of all trades these days, and can still produce beautiful photos for most session types out there. But each photographer has a niche (or two max) and you want to find the one that specifically fits your session to really get the bang for your buck.

2. What style do I like?

This is where you get to look around at their photos! Look at the editing style. Do you want light and airy? Dark and moody? True to color? There are so many styles, everyone does it a little differently. Try this: picture the photo that you want hanging on your wall. What does that look like? What do you envision there? Find a photographer with images that will bring that same look to life! Also consider the type of photo. Styled with everyone looking at the camera? Or more candid with kids playing and running around? These are the images that you want to think about as you look at galleries of photos.

3. What is their price range?

There, I said it. I know I know, we don't want to have to include this as a factor, because it's clear that we want to get good quality photos at a competitive (and realistically affordable) rate. Photos are expensive, it's true. They are a luxury. But consider this too... the cheaper the session, the higher risk for cheap photo quality too. Photographers charge what they are worth, the time and effort they put in. Their prices include many different factors. So while you should shop around and look at sessions that will keep you in budget, don't go too cheap. There are great photographers with realistic prices that take beautiful, quality images because they love what they do (like me!), not because they want to make the most money.

4. Last by not least, What is the process like?

This might just be the most important factor. Why? Because you're purchasing the experience as well as the photos! If it's your first time choosing a photographer, it's a lot easier to pick one you will love immediately that you can use again and again, than to keep spending time shopping around if you have a bad experience. Check out their website, shoot them a message, learn about their process. Does it seem easy? Do they have availability during the dates you'd like? Do they respond quickly? Do they answer questions and give you all the info you need? Photographers who will make it worth your while will have their process streamlined and ready to go for you.

In Summary: Take the time to find the right photographer for you by considering the factors I've mentioned. It might take some time. Don't spend hours and days looking around, but do spend enough time that you can go in confident and ready to book your session. Then, get excited! You're about to have the experience of a lifetime, and get beautiful photos to boot!

Until next time,

Rashae