Finding the Ideal Portrait Photographer

Christine — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:53 +0000

In the second article of a two-part series, Brittney Kwasney of Bright Photography gives Vancouver moms some tips when selecting and evaluating portrait photographers for you and your family.

If you’re satisfied with the photographer’s responses to the questions in Part 1, move on to the all important triple-hit question series:

1. How much will it cost, what will you get in the end, and when will the end be?

These are questions you must ask and understand the answer to when you hire a photographer. There are many products that you could possibly receive in the end – some of which may be more money that you bargained for. A lot more! Here’s a list of common end products:

A disc of all images at full resolution. This is the most ideal option and one I personally have made as a key offering to my clients. Having the disc makes it possible for you to do all the printing yourself, saving you time and money. It also gives you ownership over your photos.

A disc of all images scaled down. Essentially this is just a proof album in the digital world. You might be able to print as large as an 8×10. For anything bigger than that, you will most likely have to order from the photographer at an extra charge.

An album of printed proofs. This is the most classic final product, most often associated with wedding photography. It could be an optional add-on, or included in the original commission. Either way, with this option, you are almost always ordering prints from the photographer at an addition cost.

2. What is the timeline?

The turn-around time will vary depending on the project. As for any project with fixed resources – the bigger it is, the longer it will take. For portrait sessions, I endeavor to have a DVD delivered to the client within two weeks. For a wedding, it may be 6 weeks. I’ve heard stories of photographers taking an entire year to return wedding photos! If you have a fast-encroaching deadline – such as a birthday, ensure the delivery date is understood.

3. Finally, is the price right for you?

Once you understand what the outputs could be, you can assess its value to you. Factors like package inclusions, reprinting, framing and location can affect the final cost. You may wish to scale down or up based on what you have learned. Also ask if the photographer provide any incentives? For example, Bright Photography is offers preferred rates for a baby photo series. As babies grow and change so fast, parents sometimes wish to have photos taken every few months.

I hope this information will help you to be fully satisfied with your next professional photography experience.

Brittney Kwasney is owner of Bright Photography. To find out more about Brittney, visit her site at http://www.brightphoto.ca or email her at brittney [at] brightphoto.ca.

Photo © Brittney Kwasney.

Finding The Ideal Portrait Photographer

Christine — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:55:52 +0000

Looking for a portrait photographer? In a two-part series, Brittney Kwasney of Bright Photography gives Vancouver moms some tips when selecting and evaluating portrait photographers for you and your family. Here are some key considerations Brittney recommends to ensure you make the right decision:

1. How do I find a photographer?

You may intuitively want to kick-off your search for a photographer online with a search for, “Vancouver Portrait Photographers”, or the like. Pause. The amount of city-based photographers can be overwhelming and your enthusiasm for nice, updated family photos may be abruptly squashed as you troll site after site. Also, the websites appearing at the top of your search results have no direct relationship to the quality of the photographs within. Instead, I recommend starting your search by asking friends about their experiences with local photographers. After you have some references, then start visiting websites. You can also check out the list of Vancouver’s 50 Essential Portrait Photographers here on VancouverMom.ca.

2. Do you like the photographer’s work?

Once you have a photographer to investigate further, the next logical step is to decide whether you like the work in his or her portfolio. Look for variety and creativity as good indictors of talent. Do their subject’s poses and expressions look natural? Does the mood and lighting seem to fit? Most photographers these days have a website with an online gallery making it easy to browse through as many sites and you like.

3. Do you like the photographer? Are you confident in them?

Whether you’re having the photographer present at an all day event such as a wedding, or a short portrait session of your family, it’s very important that you feel at ease with the person behind the lens. The “mood” of the moment will be portrayed in your photos and your chemistry with the photographer is integral to that.

Ask yourself, “Will my kids respond well to this person?” Trust your gut. Take the time to read their online bios and have a chat with them and make sure you’re on the same page. If a photographer is hesitant to meet you in person without a monetary commitment, be very wary. Personally, I like to meet people in advance. It allows me extra time to consider the right setting and strategy for their ideal photo-shoot.

4. What should you ask the prospective photographer?

Whether you use email, phone or a face-to-face meeting to communicate with the photographer, here are some questions that may be of value to ask:

Where could the shoot take place? Outside, in a studio, at your home? Consider the benefits of natural surroundings rather than an unfamiliar studio. I am of the strong opinion that people are more at ease in a natural and familiar environment. Unless you are a model, this probably doesn’t mean a studio! Additionally, I find that non-studio shoots lend well to a photo journalistic approach – bringing out the essence of your family.
What will the photo-shoot be like? Consider duration, breaks, “what if” scenarios regarding weather or illness.
Is the photographer experienced in whatever you would like to create – with kids of your children’s ages for instance?