How to Select a Photographer! | Mooresville Photographer

If you’ve started the search for a photographer then you’ll know just how many options there are.  Odds are you know someone who's a photographer, so shouldn't you just hire someone you know?  Before you go ahead and book a photographer for a session, there are a few important things to consider.  

What style are you looking for?
Photographers have different styles so you need to decide on someone who can help you achieve the end result you are looking for.  This applies to everything from wedding and maternity shoots to family and baby sessions. Be sure to review their portfolio and don't hesitate to ask the photographer if you can view a session or two similar to what you are considering booking.  This will give you a clear idea of their style, how they edit (do they all look the same or do they change their style from image to image) and what you can expect from your session.

Research and review.
Before you invest in a professional photographer you need to do your homework. Get online to find a few customer reviews, browse around their website to view their latest work and have a look around their social media pages to find out what others are saying about them. These platforms will also give you a good idea of their personality and style. Some other important points to consider when researching photographers are:

1. Budget. Do their services fall within your price range?  Cheaper is not always better, so if they are more than you plan to spend, can they work with you on a payment plan?  Most professionals have spent the time to price themselves based on a business plan, so usually prices are not negotiable.  
2. Expertise. Are they experienced enough to give you the results you are looking for and in the safest way possible?  Lighting is also important, not all photographers can shoot in all lighting situations, so be sure to ask, especially for unique situations like a candle lit wedding ceremony!  Newborn safety is also an extremely important consideration since newborns are fragile and some poses require multiple shots to make the image one so you can support the baby's head.  Some photographers focus their work in certain areas - this can be important depending on what you are looking for.  Do you need a newborn photographer?  Wedding Photographer?  Senior Photographer?  Baby Photographer?  Many do it all, but some study and focus on one area over others and often have more skill set for their area of expertise.
3. Location and Hours. Are they in your area or are you willing to travel to them?  Do they have a travel fee?  Many of my clients live an hour away or more so we try and meet half way when possible or for newborn sessions this can be a bonus since babies tend to fall asleep in the car and are ready as soon as you arrive.  Does their availbility work for you?  Many photographers only shoot outdoors at sunset, are you able to attend the days they are available?  Can you attend a weekday morning for a newborn session or have someone to drive you if you are on restrictions from a c-section?
4. Quality. Is the quality of their photos good enough for you? Look at aspects such as color, sharpness, exposure and saturation.  Are they consistent with editing?  Are the images in focus?  Are the colors in the pictures the correct color (note that most monitors/screens portray colors differently).  Do note that different lighting and locations can make an image appear very different such as a beautiful sunset can give a hazy look but 10 minutes earlier will look completely different.
5. Customer Service.  What does the photographer offer?  Do they give you files, prints, both?  Are they able to help you plan for the session?  Do they offer any prep guides?  Do you have to bring everything to the session or do they have props for you to use?  Do you know what to expect after the session?  Will images be sent to you or do you have to set up a meeting to view and order?  What you want from a session may be different from person to person and even from session to session.  Make sure the photographer is able to help when and how you need them to help.

Create a short list.
Once you have done your research, create a short list of professional photographers that stand out for you. Get in touch with each of them to discuss your needs and to ask any questions that you might have. It’s important that you chat with the photographer over the phone or in person as this is the best way to get to know them and find out whether you’ll be able to work with them. Feeling uncomfortable or stressed out around your photographer makes for bad photos and by the time the images are edited, it might be too late to hire someone new if the images don't come out as you expected.

It’s important that you pick a photographer that you have confidence in. Your photos are there to last you a lifetime so while there is nothing wrong with helping out your photographer friend who has just started out, it’s best to choose an experienced photographer for important events and occasions that you can’t re-live.  It saddens me when clients contact me when they need a session because their past session didn't go as expected.  So do your research, take your time and don't worry about offending your photographer friend if you use someone else, there are plenty of clients to go around and many in the photography community focus on supporting each other.  So get out there and start doing your research and don't be afraid to tell someone you are not interested, you might really save them time and save you the annoyance of follow up calls, emails, etc.

And while you are here, check out my maternity, studio newborn, Lifestyle newborn, babies and kids, family and more portfolios and contact me for for info!

Shannon Anderson Photography is a maternity, newborn, child and family photographer in the Charlotte and Lake Norman areas of North Carolina.  Shannon has a home studio in Mooresville, NC available for newborns and young children and travels around the Charlotte and Lake Norman areas for outdoor and lifestyle sessions.  To book a session please email Shannon at hello@shannonandersonphotography.com or click here use the contact me page