When a photographer needs a photographer! What I looked for when I wanted a session!
For the trip of a lifetime, I wanted memories captured!! Just seeing this takes right back to that evening on the beach, a beautiful sunset and an talented photographer that did a fantastic job creating a memorable session AND and giving us memories to take home!
It's often crossed my mind when I go to the doctor, who does the doctor see for health and wellness? Same thing with hairdressers, or personal trainers....so I thought you mind find it interesting to see the thought process that I personally go through when I am in need of the same service I provide!
It MAY come as a shock ;-), but I am very particular with what I like and don't like in a photo. There are styles that I am just not fond of at all, and styles that I could devour! I am a person who knows what I want and can tell pretty quickly by looking at a photographer's body of work, if they are a good fit for ME. That being said, we all have different tastes and objectives for a session so you may not be attracted to the style of photography that I am!
It may ALSO surprise you, that when I went to Hawaii with Chris, I hired a photographer without seeing almost a single "sample" of her body of work with couples, or even with people. More on that later.
What to consider when hiring a photographer
My purpose: Beautiful setting ( one of my favorites actually) and a vacation, which doesn't happen often, valued time with my fiance!
Your budget. As much as we wish that money didn't have to come into play, there are some photographers who are out of my price range, but honestly if they WERE in my range I'd hire them in a second. Many are worth the price tag. Definitely find out what their fees include!
Their style. I always tell people if they are new to me and my work, be sure to check out my web site, blog or social media to see what my shooting AND editing style is, BEFORE they hire me! Its OK, seriously, if I am not your cup of tea! Not every photographer is a good fit for every person! It will help you be over the moon happy with your session instead of wishing you had something different.
Their Vibe. This may be a more difficult piece of the puzzle to connect to but very worth the research. Most photographers now-a-days have an Instagram or Facebook page, and truly, that is where you learn more about their personality. My social media pages are full of my life, thoughts, tips and musings lol....and you would probably get a good feel for who I am as a person by following along with my daily posts! They are life related, not just photography!
So back to what I was talking about when I said I didn't even see a "portfolio", so to speak, when I hired Amber Mozo to do a session with Chris and I when we visited Oahu last year. I came to Amber via a referral. I visited her social media and web site, but most of her work she presented was nature, surf...and not people. BUT, this ties back to why I feel like it's uber important to learn about the vibe of a person. I liked what I saw, what I read and what I felt from what she put out on the internets. ;-) The moment we met, I was completely confident that she would deliver exactly what I was looking for. My intuition was correct, and I received an edited session in my inbox that was my kind of perfect.
To wrap up what I thought was going to be a WAY shorter blog post lol, there are definitely concrete things that I consider, but there are also things that go into making that choice, that might not be as obvious, but are super revealing! As a photographer with a lot of friends, remember that it is OK, it's OKAY, to hire someone else! The bottom line is YOU, and what you want to have in your book of memories! Make sure it's a great fit!!
That being said, if you want to connect with me, even if you just want to ask questions or get ideas, I can be reached at suz@suzannelopezphotography.com, or any of my social links (at top) and truly love to connect with you! Connections make my world go 'round!
...till next week!