It should be easy to find the right photographer for your business photography, right? After all, every city has many, many professional photographers.
Recently, I was reading a web site for photographers who are new to running a photo business. These amateur(?) photographers were apparently hired by various clients to shoot corporate work, advertisements, business marketing or editorial assignments. Yet these photographers didn’t know how to price their work or, in some cases, even how to do the assignment. Why would any business hire an amateur photographer?
How should a business find the right professional photographer?
The best way is by referral from another business or a colleague. If this isn’t possible then a search engine is your best friend (or enemy).
The best keywords to use for the most effective search are the city name, type of photography and, of course, the word “photographer”. For example, if a business needs a photographer in Toronto, the best results would come from a search using phrases such as:
toronto corporate photographer
toronto commercial photographer
toronto business portrait photographer
Any of these will return many suitable choices but the search is only just beginning.
Since many of us are in a hurry, most folks never go beyond the first page of search results. But do yourself a favour and skim through at least a couple pages of results – don’t depend on a passive search engine to know what you need. When you’re planning to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on photography to help market your business, the extra time is well worth it.
How can you choose a photographer based on their web site?
First, does the photographer present themselves as a professional? Does their site inspire confidence that the photographer knows their business?
Do you like the photos on their web site? Ideally, the pictures displayed are exactly what you want, but this may not often be the case. Do the pictures catch your eye, are they interesting? Look at the general style and competence level. Do these meet your expectations?
Does the site have lots of information to answer some of your questions or is it just filled with pretty pictures?
Is the photographer experienced? A new photographer may very well do good pictures, but an experienced photographer has encountered many situations and knows how to properly deal with them. This can save you time and money.
When you contact a photographer for more information, does that photographer ask you a lot of questions about the proposed photo assignment other than just where and when? Will the photographer put everything into writing for you to approve?
Different types of photography require different solutions, skills and talents. Some photographers are multi-talented and some are not. Good photographers know their limits and won’t waste your time or money by attempting work outside their areas of expertise.
