6 Things to Consider When Finding the Right Photographer

When it comes to a photoshoot, whether it’s an elopement, editorial, commercial, engagement, or just-for-fun, finding the right photographer for the job is essential. When hiring a photographer, the most important factor is the final result of your photos. However, there are plenty of things that come before the final photos that are just as vital when considering who to hire. The experience, in my opinion, is one of those things.

When it comes to the experience there are a variety of factors that contribute to how the session will go. You want to leave your session feeling excited, confident, and fulfilled. And all of those feelings can be attributed to finding the right photographer. From making sure your personalities mesh well together to knowing their shooting style, here are six things to consider when finding the right photographer for you.

Niche

First things first, you want to consider the photographer’s niche. If you need a photographer for your elopement and you hire someone who shoots commercial photography for websites, it’s probably not going to turn out as planned. Of course, they might be exceptional in their specific niche, but they might not know the first thing about shooting a wedding and elopement. 

You can even get more specific here. Let’s say you’re getting married and want to elope. You’re going to want to find a wedding photographer who specializes in elopements. This is because elopement photographers will usually help plan out your elopement details, from helping you find the perfect location to narrowing down local vendors. Traditional wedding photographers don’t often double as wedding planners.

Vision

If you have a certain vision you want your session to be, your photographer needs to be on board. One of the most important parts of planning and creating a specific shoot is whether or not the photographer can actually bring it to life. What do you want to achieve with your photos? If it’s your elopement day, do you want it to feel authentic, dreamy, and full of love? Or do you want to incorporate an editorial, vintage, or eccentric feel to your photos?

As I mentioned above, the most important part of finding the right photographer is the final result of your photos. If you have a specific vision in mind, finding a photographer who is able to encapsulate that vision is critical.

Shooting Style

A photographer’s shooting style is another important factor to consider when hiring the right person for your session. Do they tend to shoot more traditional, posed looks? Or do they take a creative, photojournalistic type approach? The shooting style of a photographer is one of the most important considerations, in my opinion. This is because it’s often what makes or breaks a photo. 

Your photographer’s shooting style is especially important for weddings and elopements. It sets the entire vibe of your photos as a cohesive whole. We can all tell if a photo has been heavily posed just by looking at it. But sometimes it’s the perfect blend of posed and natural and this is where a photographer’s shooting style comes in. 

Editing Style

Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning a photographer’s editing style. This is arguably the first and number one thing you consider when choosing someone to hire. After all, so many people tend to pick a photographer based on what their previous photos look like. We head to their Instagram, stalk them for a bit, and decide “yep, this is the one!”

No one wants to hire a photographer without looking at their work. Every photographer has a signature editing style and preference. It’s what helps them stand out from the crowd. If this is something important to you, you’ll need to make sure you like the way they edit their photos before hiring them. 

Budget

Your budget is another vital factor in finding the right photographer. Photography of all types ranges across the board in price. And there’s more than just the physical act of taking the photos that go into the price of your package. Photographers often spend a lot of time planning out shots, helping you plan little details (especially for elopements), editing after the day is over, traveling to your location, and so much more. It’s important to consider what your budget is before getting your heart set on a certain photographer. You could end up discovering it won’t work out and we don’t want that at all!

Personality

Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider the personality of your photographer. The best photographer-client relationships are often based on whether or not personalities mesh well together. Get to know them before you hire them! More often than not, photographers will be happy to hop on a call with you—they want to get to know you, too. This way you can see if you’ll work well together or not. Plus, you can ask them questions about their shooting style, editing, pricing, vision, and more.

Finding the right photographer for you can seem overwhelming, but the good news is that they’re out there. If you like my style and want to learn how we can work together, contact me today and let’s get to know each other!