FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I decided to pursue photography because it was something I greatly enjoyed. I was pretty good at it and I found a lot of satisfaction in delivering images that people were really excited about. Eventually I realized that there was an unfulfilled demand for high quality images and that was a huge revelation. Learning that I could make a living doing what I love was a huge blessing and has driven me and my passion, and led me to continue to develop and increase my knowledge and skill set to be able to produce the level of images that I am happy with.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Do your research. Talk with the photographer. Find out what their normal turnaround time is and what to expect from a session with them. Do your personalities mesh? You are going to be working somewhat intimately with this person depending on the type of session and need to get along and feel comfortable with them. Know what to expect financially. Photography pricing can vary widely and there is no industry standard pricing for any type of photography. Look closely at their portfolio; make sure theyre style matches yours and your expectations. Dont expect a photographer to deliver better or worse than what they are showing you theyre capable of in their current galleries. Generally speaking you get what you pay for. If you hire the cheapest photographer you can find, something is going to be lacking. It may be the quality of work, professionalism, timeliness or a number of other issues, but I can just about guarantee you will not be satisfied on some level. If you are going to hire a professional, put your money to good use and hire someone who has demonstrated adequate skill level, is professional, and treats you with courtesy. Yes, professional photography can be expensive but there is good reason for that as you can see in my answer to the question What do you wish customers knew about my industry? You have to ask yourself what quality images are worth to you and/or your company and find someone who meets the said criteria that fits in your budget.
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
I wish people understood the true amount of time, effort and cost that goes into the production of a single image. So many people think we photographers just show up, click a few pics and then were done. That couldnt be farther from the truth! I could go on about this but Ill try to make it quick. My gear is expensive, more than most people spend on their rent/mortgage for an entire year! Most people dont realize the amount of money that professional photographers must invest to capture the quality of images that sets us apart from amateurs. The time I spend actually shooting photos is about 30% of the total time it takes to deliver a high quality product and service.