Useful information

HOW TO COMMISSION A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Choosing the right photographer for the job will ensure that the photographs they take work to support and enhance your business image.

Booking a photographer involves an investment of time and money. Whilst budget considerations must be borne in mind, choosing the wrong person at the “right price” could result in a waste of both resources.

WHERE TO START?

MARKETING OBJECTIVES

Decide on what you want the images to achieve in the wider context of your overall marketing objectives. What message should they send out about your organisation?

STYLE

Have an idea of the style of photography you would prefer; for instance, if you need portraits taken of your staff, should these be in colour or black & white? Do you want formal head-and-shoulders shots, or would a candid, informal style be more appropriate in reflecting your corporate identity? Again, if you’re sending out a photograph to accompany a press release, the style will need to be more unusual and eye-catching.

MAKE YOUR SEARCH RELEVANT

There are many General Practice photographers who take high-quality images of a wide variety of subjects, from people to products and architecture. However, make sure that you book the right person for the job by checking their area of expertise and ensuring that it matches your requirements. Look for specific examples of their work which illustrate these strengths. My areas of expertise are portraits and event coverage.

BE FLEXIBLE

Try not to be too rigid in your expectations; if you’ve settled on someone who’s great at people photography, but you can’t find exactly the style you’re after in their work, a good briefing session could be all that’s needed.

GIVE YOURSELF TIME

Give yourself time to choose the right person and involve them as early as possible; this is especially important if you have a large or complex project to complete. Except in the case of very simple projects, booking an unknown photographer at the last minute, without meeting them, is not advisable.

HAVE A BRIEFING MEETING WHERE POSSIBLE

Arrange to have a meeting, preferably face-to-face, to discuss in more detail aspects of the brief (see Briefing). This will give you the opportunity to ensure that your photographer understands your business objectives and how the photographs will work to support these. It is also a good time to decide on the best locations for photography.

GIVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER TIME

Once your photographer has been briefed, and the booking confirmed, it is advisable to avoid squeezing in extra work aside from the main job for which they have been booked; tempting as it is to make use of them while they're on site, cramming in additional shots is counter-productive as it could compromise the quality of the photography if not enough time is allowed.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT MY OTHER WEBSITE: annasaverimuttu.co.uk