How to find the perfect photographer

and things to keep in mind when booking

Whether it’s a big life event or looking for someone to do updated family photos, there’s a lot to consider and keep in mind to find the best photographer that will fit your needs. First and most importantly, when selecting your photographer find someone who’s work speaks to you and you would love to see their creativeness capturing you. There are many different photography styles to choose from, light and airy, bold and beautiful colours or maybe you want someone who shoots more with a moody style. Do you want someone who is focused on the finer art? Or someone who’s more candid when capturing your photos. If you are not sure what style of photography you would like to have your photos captured, I’d highly suggest looking up the different types of styles and seeing what photographers are offering in your area. Pinterest is a great resource for finding different photography styles and a great place to start. You could also use the hashtag #portraitphotographer or type of photography you are looking for on Instagram which will show you loads of different photographers and styles.

This also brings me to my next point, location. How far you are willing to travel to your ideal photographer?  Capturing families for almost 10 years and I’ve had clients travel a good distance so I can capture their photos. When I was in the Greater Toronto Area, I had clients travel for Barrie, Kingston and even as far as travelling north from the States so that I was able to snap their portraits. Recently I’ve had past clients travel from the Toronto area to my new location in Edmonton for a session. Not wanting to travel might be a big factor when finding someone to capture your portrait. If you decide to stay local, a good way to find your photographer is to use your location as a hashtag on Instagram or simply Google “photographers near me”. You can also use this same method to find a photographer in a different location if you don’t mind travelling or maybe you are in a more remote area and need to travel. Also, keep in mind that when using hashtags the most popular post will most likely be the first you see. Spend the time looking and scrolling down further in the feed. Your photographer might not be the first post you see!

Another factor when selecting your photographer is whether you want a studio session or a location shoot. In another blog post, I go into more detail about the difference between studio and location photography. You can read the blog post HERE.  Are you looking for a newborn photographer who will come to your home and shoot or would you prefer not to stress about them coming to you and just shoot in the studio with them taking care of all the details?  Or maybe you want to shoot your session outside to take advantage of the weather or location you’ve been dreaming of having a session at. Some photographers focus strictly on location and travelling for their sessions and might not have a studio space for clients. On the other hand, some photographers only shoot inside their studio and will not shoot outside or location shoots.

So now you know the style of photographer and location you want to shoot, what else should you keep in mind and consider? Pricing!  Each photographer’s price point is determined by how much it costs them to run their business. Photography isn’t a one-pricing-fits-all and can be across the board for cost with so many little factors that clients do not see. Find a budget that you’re willing to spend and feel comfortable with. When selecting your budget make sure you have a range of amounts with a starting amount and max. Remember to ask how the photographer does their pricing before the shoot and booking with them. Do they offer an inclusive package style or is there a sitting fee which later you’ll have to purchase digitals or products after the shoot? I’ve seen a lot of posts with people commenting that they were unaware the images did not come with the package they paid for and any digital or prints were additional fees added in after.

Another great recourse to finding a photographer is to ask around! See if someone you know has worked with a portrait photographer that they can recommend. Personal referrals are another great way to connect with businesses and services.

So, after you’ve done everything mentioned above the last thing you need to do is reach out to that photographer and inquire about a session. Make sure to ask any questions you might have in the first initial contact and it’s ok to ask your photographer for all the package details and what’s included.

And lastly, it’s ok if you have decided to keep looking for a photographer if you didn’t click with the first one you contacted.