3 Things to consider When Picking Your Photographer

Caitie Beth Nelson

A Destin, 30A, Santa Rosa Beach Photographer who is just happy to be here.  

In the same way you hire a mechanic for their expertise working on your car, you hire a photographer for their expertise in creating custom wall art. ​

There are several wonderful photographers in this area. When choosing who to hire you want to find someone who shares your vision. It all comes down to trust, you are trusting this photographer to deliver images that match the style promoted on their website, that you will receive the agreed upon amount of portraits at the agreed upon amount and to make you look like your best self. 

I have heard numerous complaints and sad stories from my Destin and 30A clients about time and money wasted with previous photographers they were hoping to trust with their memories. Do you remember my previous blog post about the Caplan family and their experience?  Their story is one of the stories that inspired this post.  While they did often experience good luck, as the matriarch told me, their successful portrait session with me was the result of multiple family members doing what it takes to be sure they hired the correct professional photographer.  If you didn’t read the post, I’ll give a short recap:  Years ago the entire family (adult children and grandchildren)  traveled and gathered for a beach vacation one summer.  A professional beach photographer was contacted and hired to create nice family portraits they had observed on the website. Everyone was wanting print-worthy, flattering, stunning work.  What they got was an uncomfortable session with someone who was less than personable, and worse, the portraits received were full of shadows and squinting eyes.  Nothing could be used as a lovely, large print to be displayed in the parents’ home.  It was a stressful experience, and very disappointing, to say the least.  Amy and I cannot stress this enough:  The beach is gorgeous, and so fun, but a photographer needs to understand the light and how to use it. The light on the beach is not as easy as one would think, it changes constantly and you have to be ready to change with it.

1.  Consider your style.  Do you have a light, bright and airy home?  You may want to consider someone with a similar approach to working with light.  Do you want posed photos, or candid?  Do you want a fun mixture of both?  Decide your style, search for photographers in the area, and narrow down your list by style.  Do this before even considering the price range.  It’s very tempting to go by price alone, sometimes.  I  implore you to shop by style first. You must be happy with what you receive, or the money will be a waste, no matter if it was a good deal or not.  A professional photographer will have a consistent style, and that style must match your taste and expectations.  Review his or her portfolio and be sure you would want their work hanging on your walls.  A great way to shop by style is by using Instagram, and using hashtags to find photographers in that area.   

2.  Ask to review a copy of the contract, and ask for clarification on anything that seems off-putting.  This may seem obvious for most, but you may come across a term or agreement that doesn’t suit your family.  One example is having the choice to be featured on social media or not.  Some people are uncomfortable having their children on Instagram or Facebook.  Amy and I totally get that, and respectfully give our clients the option to opt out of being used in posts and advertising.  Some other things to think about with the contract, such as the retainer fee. Is it refundable or transferable? The weather out here can be unpredictable. What is their weather policy? Do you 


3.  This one is the biggest deal to me, and should be for you — especially if you are hiring a photographer for your vacation photos before arriving at your destination.  Talk to him or her on the phone!    Yes, texting and email are so much more convenient.  I totally get that.  So many people just aren’t phone call people.  However, it is important to build that trust before the session, you should be able to easily relay your vision that brought you to hire a professional photographer. 

4. Budget. Of course we all want the best for the price no matter the purchase. Hiring a professional photographer is a luxury product. In the way that you could purchase a Ford Focus or you could spring for a luxury model and get a Porsche. It all comes down to what is important to you. Some people spend thousands on a purse or at the beauty salon, because they value the product. For those who value the artistry of an educated professional photographer they understand that it will cost money. It comes down to what you are looking for. There are no wrong answers. If you simply want someone to hold the camera for you then a hobby or new photographer would be your easiest choice. For professional photographers this is their full time job. Not only do they need to pay their bills, they also have a lot of work related expenses; education, equipment, software, hardware, licenses and fees.

A few other things to consider:

- Ask what comes with the session, are there any further cost. Some photographers include digital images with the session, some require them to be purchased afterwards or only allow a certain amount, and some sell prints only. 
- Ask to view a complete gallery from a session that has about the same number of people in your group or family.  Beach photography can be difficult because of the lighting and wind, so you'll want to see examples of a session from beginning to end. Watch the posture, can you tell they have been advised on how to pose? Or are they slouching, looking uncomfortable. Are there any squinting eyes or unhappy faces indicating they do not combine images to create the best portrait of each subject. Are there any distractions in the background? I feel this is the very basic of editing. It is very easy now to remove people and distractions, if they are not removed you might as well be bringing a tripod with you. 
- Ask about retouching services and fees associated with them, if this is not already covered in the contract. ​

Some photographers charge extra for additional subjects past a certain amount. Be sure to inquire about this before scheduling a large group.

The clients we serve are generally in the Destin, Miramar Beach, 30A, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seaside, Inlet Beach, Seagrove Beach, and Grayton Beach areas which means we serve a lot of out-of-towners.  Your time is precious, so don't just hire any beach photographer for your portrait session or wedding!  If Amy and I are both booked we always refer our clients to other trusted local professional photographers.  Contact us for availability or other information.  We're happy to help!

Lifestyle portraits does not mean unposed. Families are still positioned in a way that they are looking like the best version of themselves and set up in a pleasing composition for wall art. This family is set in a standard triangle composition with a foreground leading line with complimenting surrounding color tint, creating focus around the subject.

Do you have any tips to share on hiring a vendor?!  Please comment and let us know!  We love sharing helpful information.