So many people know they need professional photos to capture attention online, but then choose the cheapest photographer they can find because they are scared that the money they are investing will be a waste. You want to know what the end result will be before you start handing over your money. Making sure you choose the right photographer is the first step in the right direction.
These 3 steps will help you find a photographer that gets you.
1. Know what you want
1. Start with what you want, how do you want your products to look and feel. The best place to start is to create a Pinterest board, or a good old fashion vision board. Just go for it, without editing until you have 20+ images that embody the way you want your products to speak to your customers.
2. Review your board, what do these images have in common? Do they have a theme? For example, natural/earthy/beachy/vintage. Do they have a style? E.g. bright and bold/muted colours/minimalist. Do they have a colour palette? Etc
3. A big one from this exercise is to establish what type of photography you are looking for, are you looking for generic product/styled/flat-lay or lifestyle images. Now you are ready to begin your search for a photographer.
2. The Search
Where do you start, the answer: wherever you are. You can search on google, Instagram, Facebook, freelance websites. Whatever you feel comfortable using start there, if you don’t find what you are looking for then try the next platform.
Use search terms that you identified from you vision board exercise above, for example lifestyle photographer, product photographer, photographer offering in house styling services.
You will want to view the photographer’s online portfolio, on their website, not just their Instagram account. A photographer will only put their best work in their online portfolio. You’ll be able to tell from their portfolio which areas of photography they specialise in and their editing style. This will give you a feel for what your photos will look like if you chose to work with that photographer.
By looking into their portfolio, you are looking into your future.
3. The Numbers
Photography isn’t a cut and dry numbers game. There are more factors that go into creating that perfect image than meets the eye. The photographer will need to consider how many products you want photographed, the type of product (some products are trickier to shoot than others), if props/models/location will be used for a lifestyle photo shoot and more depending on your specific circumstance. So while some photographers websites might give an hourly or daily rate it is best to get a quote for your specific needs.
And yes, you get what you pay for, but while price is an important factor it isn’t the only factor!
You really want to make sure the photographer you choose matches the style and feeling that you are looking for in your products. You only get 5 seconds or less to make that all important first impression, so you want to make sure your photos are giving the right impression!
If price is still an issue, start small and scale up. Choose your best sellers and let the photographer run with them. That way you can check if this will be a perfect match before going all in.
Happy photographer hunting.