Hiring a photographer

Hiring a photographer will usually take a bit of research to find a good fit, and get the best price without sacrificing quality. A good place to start is your local craigslist. If photographers in your area are using it to advertise, check to see if they have links to online galleries of their work. That would be a good starting place to see if you like their work.

Is it imaginative, does it flatter the people being photographed, does the photographer have good skills? You can usually cross a few off your list when you see their work side by side with others, and there will usually be another few whose work you really like that rise to the top of your wish list.

The next thing is to read over their printed information, and get a feel for how they do their business. Don’t be put completely off by prices at this time, but it is a factor. Choose the ones you think are most promising and contact them.

If a photographer has an open slot (especially if your event is coming up soon) and he wants to fill it, he may give you a better deal than he normally charges. Or if your event is on a weekday, you may get a price break.


There are other things you may be able to do to get a discount. Find out what the full service usually entails, and see if you can go without some of those things. Maybe the typical fee is for 4 hours, and you only need 3? Or maybe the photographer plans on being in 2 locations, and you only need one. Maybe he usually brings an assistant, and you can get by without it if your event is a simple one.

Even better, most of the time a photographer puts into their work is in the editing phase. And most of the expense comes from the printing process. So … if you are adept at editing your own photos, and if you don’t mind receiving the images digitally and printing them out yourself later, you may be able to get a huge break on this part of the photographer’s services.

Lastly, talk to your photographer on the phone before you commit. Make sure it’s someone you can get along with and work with. If not and there is tension between you and the photographer, you will never be able to get the best shots.

And be clear about what the expectations are as far as payment. Expect to pay the photographer at least part of what is owed before the work begins, often just to reserve the date. Hopefully you can make the final portion of the payment when you pick up your photos, or DVD, or whatever format you select for your final photos.