To many of us, photography seems like a simple enough practice. In today’s world where everyone has a camera on their smartphone, many of us might even consider ourselves talented amateurs. But the truth is if you’re looking for professional photography, you need to hire a professional photographer.
Start by deciding what it is you want from your photographer. If you’re looking for fashion photos, then you should only consider a fashion photographer. Of course anyone can claim they’re a fashion photographer. major cities are packed with photographers, many of whom may claim to be whatever you want in order to get the job.
This is why it’s important to always demand a portfolio for their resume. While it’s fine if they want to reference where they studied or whom they’ve worked with, those facts are unimportant if their work fails to impress.
Ask for references too. While it’s nice to see what they’ve accomplished, you want to get a feel for how they work. Did they get the job done on time? Were they easy to work with? Did they respect the budget? Questions like this help flesh out someone’s true professionalism.
When it comes to pay, it’s important you create a budget before you begin this whole process. Otherwise, you could be tempted into overpaying for a photographer you really like. No matter how great their work is, it’s not worth breaking the budget.