So if you’ve never hired a photographer to take your photos, here are some things you should do to make the best of the photo shoot.
Research Photographers
The first thing you should do before even hiring a photographer is to look up photographers in your area. See the different styles of photography out there. Some photographers shoot photos with more contrast, others shoot photos that are brightly lit. You want to take into account what style you’re after and look for photographers that match that style.
Questions to Ask your Photographer
Once you find a photographer here are some questions to ask. Ask the photographer how long they’ve been shooting. What packages and pricing they offer. Some photographers will only sell you prints, others will sell you digital copies of your photos. Every photographer runs their business in their own unique way, so you’ll want to be very clear with what you are paying for.
Ask the photographer about availability, some photographers (believe it or not) only schedule photo sessions Monday through Friday. You want to take into account their schedule as much as your own and try to find the best match. You will also want to find out two or three locations that the photographer recommends. You may also want to see examples of shots in those locations.
Discuss what you are looking for in the photographs. I know this sounds hard (and I have experienced many clients who weren’t quite sure what they wanted), but the clearer idea of what you want, the better the experience will be for both you and the photographer. That’s not to say the photographer shouldn’t have suggestions or advice, a good photographer should ask great questions to reveal what you ideally want.
Let the photographer know what you are going to wear, and if there are any color pallets they suggest. Some scenery may clash with clothing color, so it’s good for the photographer to know ahead of time what you and/or your family are wearing.
Pinterest Is Your Friend
If you are still not sure the style or the type of photography you like, I suggest that you browse Pinterest. Use simple key words such as “Family Photo Session”, “Engagement Session”, etc… to find ideas and pin your favorites. If you want to take it once step further, send your Pinterest board to your photographer and discuss with them the shots you really love and you would like to emulate in some sort of way. The photographer will let you know if the photos match their style or if they could take elements or the “feeling” of the photographs during your shoot.
Don’t expect the photographer to match the Pinterest photos exactly, they aren’t photo copiers – pun intended. However, they can and may get inspired by the types of photos you send them. They may even put their own creative spin on the photos.
So there you have it, some tips on preparing for your next photo session. If you have any questions let me know!
Thank you,
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