The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Photographer
Many people would think that since current popular cameras are so good at taking a well-exposed, in-focus image, they don’t need to pay for a professional photographer. But I’ve always found that there’s something about a professional photographer that seems to make an image bounce off the page or screen. It’s something that despite my experience in photography, I just can’t deliver myself.
With the growth of online media, such as slide shows, there’s a rising demand for good images to go with your content.
So I went to a pro photographer who goes by the business name of Shankar, to ask him why and when it is worth investing in a professional’s services — and why they can be worth the money. Some points from what he said:
Why hire a professional?
Pros will invest the time to learn the subject and the requirements, and provide the vision of an artist. They have current equipment to handle difficult situations, and understand how to use lighting to get the best results. They can also excel at post-production, tweaking images to remove blemishes to the image.
This makes them particularly valuable when the visual element is essential — such as cover art for a book, presenting a product, building or person to their best advantage. Some images are complex to set up and capture, and pro photographers have the experience to meet those challenges — particularly in lighting. Some images invariably need a high degree of post-production work.
Not all pro photographers are equal. Some focus on various types of photography — such as portraiture, architectural images, catalog work and other aspects.
Choose one that works for you based on personality, style, price and other elements that matter to you. Professional associations of photographers offer online access to the portfolios of their members, so it is easy to review several photographers’ work and then request quotes from three whose work you like.
How much should it cost?
The cost of hiring a professional photographer involves several elements, says Shankar:
- As with any business in professional services, there is a cost of doing business. This cost varies based on location of business, investment in infrastructure, equipment and resources. The cost of doing business divided by available days (excluding holidays, weekends and administration days) results in day rate or base rate.
- Creative Rate/Fee: This based on experience of the photographer.
- Image Usage Fee: When you get final images from photographer, you are getting the license to use images for a fee. In this, photography is much like software — you don’t actually own the software; you have purchased the license to use it
- Image Capture Fee: Much like film and processing, these are fee for images captured in camera.
- Line Items: travel, parking, production expenses (for example, wardrobe and stylist), lighting grip and assistants, file delivery fee, location visit fee.
- Post-Production: Basic services include sensor dust removal, color correction, and file conversion. Advanced services might involve composites, color revisions, file conversions beyond normal delivery.
What your photographer needs to know ahead of time
Good communication about your expectations will help you get what you want. Some points to consider:
- Creative direction (if you do not have one, provide as much information about usage and what results you expect from such usage) and possible layout scenarios.
- Hire of talent: models, wardrobe, make-up and stylist requirements, if any
- Timeline to delivery
- Post-production level required
- The feel of the photograph and the essence it has to capture
- Where the photo will be used
- Secondary Usage of the image
- Viewer response you want to develop
Article by: by Carl Friesen
Source: http://www.hpcaonline.com/hpca-news-reader/items/why-hire-a-professional-photographer.html
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