With all the technological advancements in camera phones, filters, DSLRs and every other way to take and edit a digital image, how can you be sure that you’re making the right decision when hiring a photographer in San Diego? It can be quite a daunting task, and with all the information overload on the ever growing information super highway, its now easier than ever to make the wrong choice. So how can you make sure you find the portrait photographer in San Diego you need to capture your photos? Here are a few helpful tips offered by local professional portrait photographer, Fotility Photography & Videography.
First and foremost, it’s always helpful if you have an idea of the types of photo styles that you like, as this can help narrow down the selection of portrait photographers in your area. Most photographers who take their craft seriously have specific styles of photographing portraits, and there are a few out there that are willing and good enough to photograph multiple styles. So think about what you want the end result of your portraits to look like. Whether they be close up, cropped photos with a light and airy feel, or wide angle, full frame, detailed portraits that really capture not only you, but the location you chose to be photographed, it’s extremely helpful to the photographer you choose to have an idea (and be good at!) taking the kind of portrait photos you want! Don’t worry if you’re not sure of what style of portraits you want, that’s ok, too. A good portrait photographer will spend time talking with their clients to try and figure out what their looking for before their scheduled shoot!
The next thing you want to look at when hiring a professional portrait photographer in San Diego is their online portfolio. This will let you know whether or not their shooting styles match the styles you want for your portraits. Every good, real photographer will have an online portfolio, including websites, Instagram, Facebook and other social media that showcase their portrait photography. Take some time to research their photos, and here are a few things you should keep an eye out for: Have the images they’ve posted been taken recently? Do they match the portrait photography style that you want for your portraits? Do their subjects look natural and relaxed, or do they look posed and staged?
One of the most important things you can check when hiring a professsional portrait photographer in San Diego is their online reputation. Be sure to check them out on Yelp, Google Business and Facebook. Do they have an online reputation? Is their reputation solid and trustworthy? What was the experience that others have had with that portrait photographer, and is that the type of experience you are looking for when you have your photos taken? Do the online reviews appear genuine, and are there reviewers attaching photos to their reviews to show you why their experience was worth reviewing? How recent are their reviews? How many reviews to they have compared to other photographers that you’ve researched?
Photography session deposits is one of the biggest ways you can tell the weekend warrior photographers (part time photographers who have other day jobs) versus real, full time photographers. Generally speaking, real portrait photographers will always ask for a deposit prior to your session. This is to protect you (the client) as well as the photographer, as it ensures that both parties will show up to the shoot on time and ready to work, making for a smooth, enjoyable experience for everyone. You shouldn’t worry about paying a deposit, because if a photographer was of those types that require deposits and then they don’t show up or deliver, it would show up in their online reputation. On the other hand, if there is no deposit paid, then neither party (the photographer OR the client) are motivated OR REQUIRED to show up on time for the shoot, much less show up at all! Like any other business, a professional photographer should always provide an invoice for their services, accept all major credit cards, and a copy of paid receipt to their clients. Anything less than that is simply unacceptable, and a photographer you should probably stay away from!
Lastly, I highly recommend that you don’t work with a photographer that is simply going to ‘phone it in’. This quality in a portrait photographer is a little harder to distinguish, and may take some communication (either via email or telephone). You don’t want a photographer that just shows up and runs through a fixed process to take photos, that type of photographer isn’t going to take capturing your images seriously. A good portrait photographer is going to take their time… look at the lighting, the composition, the outfits and personalities of the people they are photographing. Their going to spend a little time giving you suggestions before your shoot to help ensure you get the best possible image. And a good photographer is going to stretch and challenge themselves to continue to grow, to take photos that they’ve never done before, to try and capture a portrait photo for their client that they simply weren’t expecting. That’s what makes portrait photography so magical, and that’s what you should be looking for when hiring a portrait photographer in San Diego!
Fotility Photography & Videography is a highly rated, published on Google Business, and people LOVE us on Yelp! Fotility Photography & Videography has been hired over 5,281+ times in San Diego alone, and many, many times worldwide (that’s right, Fotility offers professional destination photographer and videographer services)! PLUS, we now offer low cost, affordable Photo Print Packages! So let the Fotility team help you Feel, Capture & Share™ What Matters Most!
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