7 Tips for Choosing the RIGHT Family Photographer...
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
~Shannon Alder
Hey my sweet friends! (Or those of you who have never met me before…}
I have got a DOOZY for you today :-)
Now, I am going out on a very skinny limb here because I am going to reveal MY 7 TIPS for choosing the right photographer FOR YOU. Before I get into the good stuff, I feel the need to CYA here a bit, so if you don’t care about all of that- skip ahead to the numbers ;-)
Anything in this blog post, is my own experience, with my own clients. It may not pertain perfectly to you and that is okay! I am not meaning to slam anyone, put anyone down, or be cavalier about the whole process but it is meant in a way that appeals to “non photographers” that are on the hunt for the right person to capture their memories. That is all… oh and, all references to “Patty the Pro” are COMPLETELY fictional- she’s not real (at least i hope not!)
An example of a family session from me
Soooo… you are on the hunt for a photographer! Congratulations! That is an amazing thing… you have either a BIG BIG BIG occasion or you value photography and want to cement those moments in history. Well done, good for you, and THANK YOU!
However, I also see you. Scrolling the hashtags on Instagram, arrowing down on endless Google search pages. Choosing someone from behind a faceless screen is incredibly scary. It can be overwhelming, furstrating, and impersonal. Have no fear, I want to share my heart with you today and hopefully help as a map to your photographer quest.
Below are MY Top 7 Tips for finding the right family photographer (and not getting stood up or fired by “Patty the Pro” an hour ahead of time…)
1} KNOW WHAT YOU WANT~ BEFORE you begin looking
I know you’re thinking “Um… Kelly- I want photos… good ones.”
Yes, yes I know. However, here are some questions to have in your mind ALREADY when you begin your search.
1) What is your budget?
You need to know your ceiling because all photographers are different with different
packages and different offerings and believe me, it is not always “you get what you pay for”
with us!
2) Do you want to print your own photos, do you want the photographer to offer a package?
3) What style do you like? BW/Lifestyle/ Posed/ Documentary??? YES it matters… a lot.
4) Where are you going to use the images? In a book/ on your walls/ on social media???
5) What dates do you need? Most sessions will usually occur about an hour ahead of sunset, keep that in mind.
I have my “ideal client” firmly ingrained in my brain. The people who I wish to call to me like a siren on the sea, but I cannot find you if you don’t know what you need.
2} DO YOUR RESEARCH
Photographers are like flowers…
there are a million varieties, there are a million shapes.
Some smell good enough to turn into candles and some, well,
smell like the inside of a garbage can (3 day old lilies anyone?)
Unfortunately, we are in the age of digital and a lot of Patty’s pick up a quick shooter and call themselves a “professional”. This will put some people off, but just because you shot a great pic of your dog in a basket, that does NOT make you a professional. On the flipside, I know some extremely talented photographers who charge a very small fee for their incredible art (and have for YEARS). PLEASE do your research ahead of time…
~ Find (and actually READ) their website. Watch out for phrases like “budding artist”,
“documentary style”, and “freelance”… those are buzz words for amateur or inexperienced.
~ Search their “About me” page, we spend a lot of time on those… they matter ;-)
~ Ask around in your area.
~ Don’t be afraid to DM or Message them on social media, honestly- 30% of my
business comes from Instagram!
~ READ their reviews… not just the hand picked ones on their site. Google reviews, Facebook,
Yelp. Just keep in mind that not all amazing photographers have Google reviews (I’ve been
in business 7 years and still haven’t set one up- my peeps go through Facebook)
3} ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS
I actually LOVE when my clients ask me tough questions, because it gives us clarity about what they are expecting. Believe me, I never want any of you to get into a situation where you feel like you made a mistake or have gotten into a sticky situation with your new photographer. Here are some great things to ask in your inquiry process:
“ How do you handle fussy toddlers?”
“ How long is your post process workflow?”
“Do you offer styling advice or support?”
“What is offered in your package price?”
“ What do you expect as a deposit to hold the date?”
“ What is your rescheduling/cancellation policy?”
Most photographers will explain all of this in the beginning communications OR through their website. If not, be sure to ask ahead of time- you don’t want to find out that the session is only $197 but you have to make a minimum purchase of $2000 before you get your images. OR that they don’t refund your deposit for any reason… It is better for both of you to know those things well ahead of shoot day!
4} STALK THEM!
Um, on the internet… let’s not get crazy here! {BTW, have any of you seen the show “You” yet? OMG!}
As artists and professionals, we spend A LOT of time and effort on our online branding and appearance. Some of us even spend THOUSANDS on our websites, purely to attract our kind of client to us. We WANT you to see what we’ve got. Our portfolios are our hearts. They are what feed us, buy our clothing, send our kids to school… you get the picture. Do not be afraid to interact on Insta, Facebook, whatever AHEAD of time. Don’t worry- we don’t sit behind the screen and keep track of “likes and hearts”.
As a photographer, I WANT to shoot for people who pay attention to what I create. It is hard and very long to explain and “sell” to every client. I would so much rather them come to me because they LOVE what I’m showing and they know what I have to offer- ya feel me there?
You don’t walk into Anthropologie and ask the salegirl “Now, what is it this store does? WHY are your candles $48 That is WAYYYY out of my budget.”
You just know it’s because they smell amazing. You don’t shop there unless you want to.
Same with photographers. Just do it. Take a few minutes and go back a few months or years and see what they’ve created. Average it all out and chances are, that’s what your images will look like as well!
5} FOLLOW THROUGH…
This is my only PSA- trust me :-) We are all VERY busy. I know that you are, and we are as well. In the photographer field, most of us are also chasing toddlers and/or day jobs. We want your business but we want to hear from you. Some of us are too busy running after our dreams to have to reach out to you three times because you forgot to sign the contract or reply to the package and location email. Sometimes, Facebook and Instagram “lose” your inquiries or send them to some random hidden folder. If you haven’t heard anything in awhile, don’t be scared to email or message again! If you want us to keep up our end of the bargain (of course you do! )- please do the same on yours.
6} BE HONEST
In all your interactions with any photographer- be honest. There is nothing worse than planning a dream beach session with a client and then finding out 2 days AFTER that the entire family is allergic to red tide and swelled up in the car on the way home. You laugh… it happens.
Let me speak out for my people here: We are first and foremost artists. We have visions. We have ideals. We have what we WANT things to look like in our minds. That can sometimes get in the way of reality. If you are uncomfortable with the location, clothing, poses they ask you to do- believe me, it will show in the images. Neither of us want that… We want to create beautiful, jaw dropping photos of your precious family that you brag about and hang on your walls. Tell them what you want.
If the only thing your photographer shows on her social media is posed beach images with no smiles, guess what?!?
That’s what you’re going to get.
If you respond to their questions with “You’re the pro.”
We will take you at your word.
Now, I take a lot of pains to be very honest and straightforward with my clients. I have a questionnaire for EVERY session to clarify expectations and get to know my people beforehand. That is NOT the norm (although it should be) so take a few minutes and tell them about your family, your goals, your “dream” shots.
We appreciate it. Very much.
Also, if we say anything you don’t feel is in line with your vision or we charge too much- TELL US (kindly).
No-one likes a ghoster.
If you want to find another photographer, just tell us that. We are professionals and BIG girls/guys (for the most part). I would so much rather know that I don’t fit inside your vision for the session or budget than just never hear from you, my dream client, ever again… Then I can’t sleep at night for weeks wondering what happened to you. (Kind of kidding…)
7} INQUIRE FULLY- BUT TACTFULLY
The flip side of this is: your photographer (if you choose an amazing one) has been through it all before. Try not to be a ball of stress and expectations.
This is coming from a Type A, First- born PLANNER. I feel ya. I do.
However… let me paint you a little picture…Pretend you’re emailing your possible photographer…
“Hi Patty the Professional,
My name is Kelly. I want to book you for family photographs. We have 6 children and none of them have outfits. You provide all of that right?!? My budget is $150 and I want at least 1,000 beautiful, magazine quality images of my children running through the grass and laughing. I HATE the beach, and my in-laws (and aunts and neighbors) want to come along, would it be free? Also- what is your plan for rain? Hail? Hurricanes? Death? Flooding? ANYTHING I DON”T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE DAY OF OUR SHOOT?!?” Also, I need these for my Instagram- they can be done next day right?!? Oh, and please don’t put your watermark all over them. I am just going to screen shot them anyways. Thanks!”
What do you imagine my response to you would be…?
Yup, times 10. I’m sorry, my books are filled for the next 22 calendar years.
There are soooo many ways to be truthful and honest without being stressed out and intense.
Once you’ve picked us, try and trust the process. We have done it all before.
We want the same thing you do.
Beautiful images.
Wonderful experience.
Lifetime memories.
Fiercely loyal clients.
IF you loved what you read, stay close because this is the FIRST post in a series called “How to Be the Ideal Client” . We will cover many more topics such as:
~ How to plan for success in your session
~ How to communicate your desires perfectly
~ How to style your family
~ How to impress your photographer
~ What to do with your art in your home
and so on. Thanks for hanging with me ;-) I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this! If you have any follow up questions, or need help… email me!
KellyGogginPhotography@gmail.com
