Things to Consider Before Contacting a Photographer
With the advent of digital cameras and photo editing software, the barriers to entry into the practice of photography are lower than ever before. As such, there are a large amount of photography companies in the market today, and the process of finding a reputable company which suits your needs can be complicated if you don’t know what you should consider when doing so and what questions to ask. Fortunately, there are a number of useful tips to consider before contacting a photographer which will help clients to better prepare themselves for conversations with photography companies, as well as familiarize clients with their own needs. Considering this information will allow clients the opportunity to receive the best personalized photography services.
Know What You Want
Photographers are not mind readers, unfortunately. Although most photography companies are happy to contribute insights and ideas relating to a client’s needs, they must first understand what the client’s needs are. This means that before contacting a photographer, a future client should have a basic idea of what they are asking for.
You’d be surprised at how often photographers pick up the phone and speak to a client who isn’t able to articulate the kind of photographs they want.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that clients should be enrolling in photography classes in order to speak the language of the trade. Instead, clients should be able to answer a few questions about what they are asking for before contacting a photographer. For example:
- What do you need photographed?
- What are the shots being used for?
- How many shots do you need?
- When are you available for the shoot?
- What is your budget?
- Will you need printed copies, digital copies, or both?
- Do you want the images professionally edited or do you simply want the raw images?
Again, a courteous and professional photography company should be able to help the client through the process if they are unfamiliar, but a lot of time and energy would be saved on both sides if the client prepared themselves properly for a professional conversation.
Know Your Options
In professional practice, “photography” is a much more general term than one may initially expect. The experience and skills necessary to be a successful wildlife photographer are different from those needed to be a successful corporate photographer, and this fact applies to all genres of photography.
As such, in order to produce high quality work, most professional photography companies are specialized in a few closely related genres of photography.
When considering which company to contact for your business needs, knowing how your needs relate to the companies’ specialized genres is very important. This is obvious in a situation like a wedding where most people know to contact a wedding photography company.
However, in less common situations, this is not as clear. For example, if someone wants photography or video production of their corporate golf outing, then they may not even realize that there are photography and videography companies which specialize in this kind of specific special event photography or videography.
Being familiar with these facts regarding specialization in the industry will not only help clients expedite their search for photographers, but will also prevent clients from hiring a photographer who is unfit for the job required.
Understand What is Included
Because each customer has unique needs and intended usages for their photos or videos, many photography companies offer a variety of service packages at different prices. This ensures that customers are not paying for services and usage rights that they do not intend to use.
Many photography companies will have “services” or “pricing pages” for you to review so you may get some ideas as to what you want before you contact the company. Clients who are familiar with their needs will be able to choose the packages which are most appropriate for themselves.
A professional photography company should be able to work with a client to help decide the best-fitting service package for the client. It should be noted, though, that the process of choosing a service package is markedly expedited when a client is familiar with their intended photo and video usages.
The Takeaway: What to Consider Before Contacting a Photographer
Receiving the best, most appropriate photography services is made easier when a client is mindful of a few important considerations. Familiarizing yourself with your own needs, your service choices and your package options will greatly improve the efficiency of your photography services. Know what you want!
Additionally, showing your appreciation for the passionate photographers who work with you will aid in ensuring that your future services continue to be excellent.
Do you have any questions regarding the search for the right photographer? Would you like to hear about Chicago Corporate Photography and Video’s service package options? Please feel free to Contact Us Here or give us a call at 312-623-3456.
