It’s 2022, there are photos in just about every direction you look whether it is on social media, a magazine, a billboard or on your walls. When it comes to hiring a professional photographer there are three things you should keep in mind: Experience, Style, and Specialty. If you follow these three tips, choosing the right photographer for you will prove easy. Today I will use the example of being a client looking to have their horse photographed (surprise, it’s animal related!)
Experience
This first tip comes in two parts, your client experience as well as the experience your potential photographer is presenting. When it comes to hiring a professional photographer you have so many incredible options which can be both exciting and overwhelming. I always recommend taking a moment to figure out what you are hoping to create with your portraits. Maybe it is custom wall art, albums, digitals or a mixture. For example, if you are hoping to display a piece of wall art in your home of both you and horse, finding a photographer offering professional wall art would be better versus a photographer offering a digital image. On the other hand, if you are looking to have online ads put together on your website to showcase your horses, you will want to find a photographer offering a digital collection. The next piece to your experience is how much help you want preparing for your portraits, if you are more hands off, maybe find a photographer with a similar mindset, if you need guidance, finding a photographer offering a helping hand every step of the way is what will set you up for success. The last piece of your experience to keep in mind is of course making sure you find a photographer who speaks to who you are as a person, working with someone you enjoy being around makes all the difference for your overall experience!
When you are looking for a professional photographer, make sure you do research on their experience creating portraits of horses. It is always helpful to take a look at their blogs with full galleries to help give you a better understanding of how the photographer poses and photographs their client’s horses. This does not necessarily mean you need to find a photographer with horses of their own, but finding one with the knowledge and skill you specifically are looking for with your horse. For example, if you are looking to have confirmation portraits of your horse for a sales ad, you may want to search for a photographer working in the sales universe, whereas if you are looking to have portraits created with both you and your horse, you will want to find a photographer with experience in posing both horses and people together.
Style
Once you have established the experience you want to have for your professional portraits and the experience you would like your photographer to have, it is time to move onto style. No I don’t mean how your photographer dresses, I am talking about the shooting and editing style you are most drawn towards in the photography world. Don’t overlook this step as it can make or break your photography experience. For example, if you find yourself viewing portraits with bright saturated colors, you may not want your portraits lacking a bright yellow and green tone. On the other hand, if you enjoy dark and moody portraits, you may not want to hire a photographer offering light and airy portraits. The same goes for the way your photographer poses and dresses their clients. If you are a fashion forward individual, you may want to hire a photographer posting unique content, if you prefer to keep things clean and neat, finding a photographer with a classic shooting sense would be perfect for you! There is a perfect place and time for each photography style, once you know what you like, it makes choosing your photographer much easier!
Specialty
The final thought to keep in mind when selecting a professional photographer to work with is finding someone specializing in the type of portraiture you are looking for. For example, if you are looking to have portraits created with or of your horse, you will want to find a photographer specializing in equine photography. This is important for a handful of reasons but the most important being that they have spent years mastering the craft of not only posing your horses correctly but also comfortably working in an equine environment. Let’s take it one step further, are you looking to document a companion horse or is your horse trained to show in a specific discipline such as Western Pleasure or Hunter Jumper? Finding a photographer with a well versed knowledge in how those specific discipline and breed standards sets you up for success in knowing your horse will be represented to the exact standards you have set.
So there you have it, there is much more than goes into choosing a photographer for your portraits whether it is equine, family or weddings, these same tips apply across the board. I hope these quick tips will help you as you begin your search for the perfect photographer for you. Are you in search of professional equine or pet portraits? Make sure you take a look through my website and feel free to visit here and begin your portrait journey today!
