hiring a photographer

More memorable corporate photography

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Everyone wants to save money. Presumably that’s why some companies use cheap stock pictures on their web sites. But using such pictures is counter-productive. Cheap stock pictures actually push customers away.

By design, cheap stock pictures target the lowest common denominator. This means the pictures are bland, generic and very simple to understand, just like the pictures in a children’s book.

A 1988 University of Texas study, “Effects of Color and Complexity in Still Photographs on Mental Effort and Memory”, showed that: (i) viewers pay more attention to complex photos; (ii) complex images are processed by the viewer just as easily as simple ones; and (iii) viewers remember complex pictures more than simple pictures.

This means that using cheap stock pictures serves no purpose other than to save money. But spending any money for something that delivers nothing is actually a waste of money.
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When to pay less for corporate photography

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All companies need some type of corporate photography to help market their business. And of course when hiring a photographer, every company is looking for a deal, a bargain, a discount.

Professional photography isn’t like selling widgets or any low marginal-cost item. When a photographer has a very low price, it means something is off, something is missing. But is this always a bad thing?

It’s okay to go with cheap photography when:

• You want less.

• You’re happy with good enough.

• You don’t mind working with a less-experienced photographer.

• You like to cut corners.

• The pictures aren’t really important.

• Your business marketing doesn’t have to be effective.

• You don’t need to make a good impression.

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Memorable (part 1)

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A university study recently published in Psychological Science concluded that taking pictures may impede one’s memory. The press release is here.

A brief summary of this study: one group of people were asked to take some general pictures during an art museum tour. The next day, these people had difficulty remembering exactly what they had seen. But a second group, who were asked to zoom in and photograph specific details of what they saw and to pay more attention to their photography, had better memory of what they had seen during their tour.

Sadly, the study uses the silly phrase “photo-taking impairment effect”. The researcher wrote, “In order to remember, we have to access and interact with the photos, rather than just amass them.”
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Cheap Future

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For customers who expect cheap or free:

I cannot always sympathize with that demand which we hear so frequently for cheap things. Things may be too cheap.

They are too cheap when the man who produces them upon the farm or the man or woman who produces them in the factory does not get out of them living wages with a margin for old age and for a dowry for the incidents that are to follow.

I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth or shapes it into a garment shall starve in the process.

– Benjamin Harrison, 23rd US President, August 1891.

 

Magic Act

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Some photographers charge more, other photographers charge less, and some photographers undercharge and effectively work for nothing. But I’ve never heard of a photographer who overcharges or gouges customers.

A fellow corporate photographer recently wondered what he should tell potential clients who point out that another photographer charges much less than he does. Perhaps this might help:

Photographers are not economic magicians. When a photographer charges less, it means the customer is getting less. There’s no way around it. Maybe it’s less quality, maybe less service, maybe less experience. But it’s always less. The customer has to decide if they’re willing to settle for less.

If the pictures are not important then it might be okay to take a chance with low-priced photography. But smart companies know to always avoid risk because cheap can sometimes be too expensive.

My photography business doesn’t settle for less, (which is why I buy only premium cameras, lenses, computers, software, etc.), and I refuse to offer less because my customers are important.

I want my customers to succeed in their business marketing and I want my pictures to play a part in that success. I don’t cut corners and give customers less because that would only undermine their business goals.

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Choosing a professional photographer

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Best reasons for choosing an experienced photographer:

1. Has both creative and technical skills.
2. Has professional editing skills.
3. Reliable, consistent and efficient.
4. Insured.
5. Grace under pressure.
6. Always has backup equipment just in case.
7. Can offer advice to help make pictures more successful.
8. Knows photo reproduction requirements and how editors select photos.
9. Understands copyright law and knows that proper licensing is always required.
10. Knows when releases and permits may be needed.

Best reasons for choosing a cheap photographer:

1. Low price.
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The Cheap Risk

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When you get a haircut, do you choose the cheapest hairstylist? Probably not. Why? The risk that the lowest priced haircut might make you look bad.

When you shop for clothes, do you buy the cheapest? Probably not. Why? The risk that the lowest priced clothes might not be as well made or they might make you look bad.

When deciding on a restaurant, do you choose the cheapest? Probably not. Why? The risk that the lowest priced food might make you feel bad.

So why do some customers choose the cheapest photographer when similar risks apply? Cheap pictures might not be as well made and they might make you look bad.
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