Finding the Best Photographer

Looking for a photographer for a special day?  Well my experience being a San Diego Photographer has given me some insight on how to make the best choice for that special occasion.  So don’t even think about popping open the yellow pages and picking any old photographer that you find.  Take it from my experience and follow these steps on choosing a good photographer.

When you know that a special day is coming up, most people want a way to remember those special moments, and most of the time it will be with pictures.  So it is critical that if you are going to hire a photographer to capture those moments, that you do your research, , especially if it is a wedding, I know from first hand experience as a San Diego Wedding Photographer.  Start by asking friends and family for any people they can refer you to.  With that list, you can start to put together some potential candidates.

After you have accumulated a list of photographers you should visit their websites.  Check out events they have shot and determine whether or not that is the type of photography you are looking for.  Photographers who have online portfolios will save you a lot of time because then you can prequalify them instead of having to wait til your first meeting to see their portfolio.

Third, start to call up the photographers and conduct a phone interview.  Once you have narrowed your list of photographers down to about two or three you can call them up and begin your interviewing process.  You can then make an appointment to meet with the photographer and view their portfolios if you have not already viewed it online.  During these phone interviews it is important to ask questions.  The more specific you are with your question the better understanding you will get as to whether or not the photographer is the one you are looking for.  While on the phone you should ask the photographer to bring in his collection of coverage of one particular event so that you will know exactly what to expect from that photographer.

After you have met with your two or three possible photographers it is time to decide which one is right for you.  The key factors to remember when deciding on your photographer is to make sure your choosing the one that you like and the one that understands the vision you have about how you want your memories to be captured.  Before you make the commitment to the photographer make sure you have asked all the questions you had and have considered all the photographers policies carefully.  Once you feel you have found the perfect photographer for your event, then go right ahead and make the commitment.

Completing all these steps will be huge in helping ensure that you find the right person for the job.  Doing this simple process will help you determine a couple of very important things.  It will allow you to get to know your photographer more than any other method.  This is important because it will allow you to know if this person has the style and the vision you are looking for on your special day.  And most importantly you will have a piece of mind that you will not have found any other way in regards to knowing if you have found the right person.  On special days, the last thing you need to stress over is the photographer.