Do's and Don'ts for choosing your photographer | Billings, Montana Birth, Newborn & Family Photos

Whether you are looking for a portrait artist to capture your family or an expert wedding photographer to document your big day, there's one big question: How on Earth do you ever choose one? In a world where Facebook garage sale sites are flooded with photographer posts, replies and recommendations, how do you ever really figure out which photographer is YOUR photographer? (If you've ever made an "ISO Photographer" post, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Am I right or am I right?).

Personal experience share time: I, once upon a time, prior to my photographer days, had hired an engagement and wedding photographer of my own. I found her via google search, I browsed her limited selection of wedding photos on the web, we met for coffee and we wrote her a check for the deposit and locked her in at the same time. Honestly, even she seemed a little bit surprised. She was a $2000 investment and not to sound harsh but at that price point, I made the mistake of assuming she'd be the bomb... and she wasn't. I should have asked to see full wedding galleries when I wasn't satisfied with the limited selection on her website, I should have contacted at least a few other photographers and explored the different shooting and editing styles available to me. Her photos weren't bad, by any means. I was happy with our engagement session for sure. When it comes to the wedding coverage, I was never upset enough to express anything to her directly. She never received a bad review from me or anything like that either. I was just quietly sad that I wasn't as wow'd as I thought I'd be. I didn't know at the time what was normal or good or if I really had a reason to feel this way and I definitely didn't want to come across as ungrateful or a "bridezilla" or whatever. Looking back with the knowledge that I have now, the first red flag was the fact that there was no wedding contract involved and this is an absolute essential for wedding photographers to have. Looking back at the photos, I can see that I could've been posed better for my body type and photographed from more flattering angles, I'd worked so hard on and loved the centerpieces but the detail shots she took were lacking (as in, there were none), there wasn't a great picture of our cake (it was two colors and the only images we received from her were from one side of the cake so it looked like it was all one color) and we had taken a whole bunch of photos with me and my mom and only one or two made it into the wedding gallery. This particular photographer is still active in my community, though we aren't connected on social media and have not been in contact since I had hired her. I honestly feel like she's a fantastic children and family photographer and like I said, I was happy with our engagement photos- knowing what I know now, I really just feel like weddings just aren't her thing- and thats okay! As photographers, we hone in on our area of expertise over time. At the end of the day, it was me who didn't know what I was looking at and had no clue I could ask to see a full gallery, etc. and it was me who still booked her for our wedding.

All we can do is learn and move forward! It takes time to develop your eye to see certain things in photographs or to look at images in a certain way, anyway. So, bear with me as I try to share with you what I wish I would have known back in the day so that you are fully equipped to select a photographer whom you love that also fits your needs!

DO: Take a good look at their portfolio

When you look at their images, are the subjects clear and in focus? A high-quality portrait taken with professional level equipment should be pretty much tack sharp. Are the images pleasing to the eye? Composition plays an important role in a good photograph. You shouldn't have to search with your eyes for the main subject of the photo- instead, it should draw your eye and suck you right in. Do the skin tones look natural? Shooting in a location where there is a lot of green foliage and grass can often result in a green color cast on the subject, an example of a white balance issue that should be corrected by your photographer in post production if it occurs. Skin that is too orange is often a result of poor editing or using too many artistic enhancements in post, without regard to how these changes are altering skin tones. Are the things that are supposed to be white in the image, actually white? If you don't feel like you're getting a good enough idea of their work from what they display on social media and/or their website, ask to see a full session/wedding gallery.

DO: Understand the editing style of your potential photographer

When you start really looking at someone's work, you'll likely notice trends in their style of shooting and their way of editing. This is part of what makes them unique and sets them apart from the other togs in the area who are also delivering high-quality images to their clients. "Bright and Airy" and "Dark and Moody" are two examples of currently popular editing trends. There also "clean" edits, which are generally pretty true-to-life with some simple adjustments made in post-production and a million other editing styles in between. It's important to figure out what type of images appeal to you, as the images you receive should pretty much fall in line with the style you're seeing in the photographer's past work.

{Example 1: if the photographer you've chosen tends to desaturate their greens in an image and you've chosen a location specifically for all the green foliage in the area, you might not be thrilled with your end result if you were expecting this deep, rich green backdrop. Or, Example 2: your photographer tends to add or enhance an amber toned glow in most of their images and you tell them you hope you won't see a lot of that in your own wedding gallery, you may not be as happy with your final product. Side note: These examples are REAL and honestly just the tip of the iceberg of what I see happening to other photographers who have shared these situations in photographer communities I'm a part of)

The bottom line is, you should choose a photographer based on the fact that you like what they do and want to be captured in their way of artistry, to be seen the way that they see you.

DONT: Pick a photographer based on price

This works both ways here, folks- don't pick someone just because their price is low but also don't assume that because someone has the highest prices in town that they are automatically the best in town either. "You get what you pay for" is generally pretty true, be it in photography or most other things in life but you've just gotta pay attention as a consumer and client to find that balance between budget and the quality or work that you expect. Is someone who is just getting started and is building their portfolio the best fit for your needs and budget? Just because an image isn't technically perfect or tack sharp or necessarily of professional quality doesn't mean you can't love it or that it lacks meaning or significance. Everyone starts somewhere and those beginner photographers need people to practice on. So, if that serves your purpose and you're fine with that- I totally encourage you to go for it! Those types of clients are essential for the growth of aspiring photographers. On the other hand, do you need to be able to rely on your photographer to deliver images, prints and products that are at or above a certain standard and are willing to invest a little bit more to ensure that's what you're going to get? There are no "re-do's" when it comes to certain things, so its really important to know what you'd like to get out of your session- if the photos are just to throw up on Facebook real quick or if you're planning to display them as wall art in your home or pass them from generation to generation in an heirloom quality album.

What better way to show the difference that experience makes than to share what my work looked like toward the beginning of my own photography journey when I was still learning and shooting $50 sessions compared to my style and quality of work now with years of experience under my belt and so much knowledge gained?

DO: Ask questions

If you've looked at all these portfolios of photographers in your area, figured out what you like and don't like and maybe even the "why" behind the two, and you know what style or styles you're drawn to- At this point, I'd begin reaching out to my top choices; requesting pricing information (if it isn't clearly posted anywhere on social media or their website), asking how far out they are currently booking their sessions, what their typical turnaround time is for completed galleries and any other questions about their specific process that I might have. If you've used these guidelines provided for you, the answers you receive from the photographers you like should allow you to hone in on the photographer who is just right for you.

Summary:

• Learn to recognize what a high-quality photo looks like.

• Don't be afraid to ask to see more of a photographer's work.

• Identify different styles of editing.

• Decide what you like.

• Determine what you want to get out of this session and what you are willing to invest.

• Ask questions.

• Book it and love your photos!

**All of the images used for comparison are my own work- the examples of what was done poorly were taken during my first year as a photographer, and the "correct" examples are from recent sessions.**

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{Head over to our recent sessions to see full session galleries.}

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