Vetting Your Services

I want to talk about vetting your services. Though I will be discussing photography services (because that's what I do) this still applies to all services; whether it's a photographer, a hair stylist, a nail tech, a house cleaner, etc. 

Let's start with what I mean by "vetting" your photographer. This means doing your research on them to see if they actually align with what you are wanting. Many people have an idea in their head of how they want their photographs to turn out but they pick the first person that says "pick me!" and then are disappointed in the final outcome, which could be due to so many reasons!

Let's start with your ad. You placed and ad in the local classifieds that says "I'm looking for a photographer for boudoir pictures." You're going to get a lot of responses. These responses could range from someone who does photos with their phone and just thinks it's fun, to a family photographer who's never done boudoir, to someone just starting out that's never posed anyone, to seasoned photographers who have been doing this a while and taken the proper classes and fine tuned their skills. If you go with the first person that says "pick me" you have a chance of getting good photos or a chance of getting photos you could have done yourself. If you go with the first one that says they will do them for free or cheap you definitely aren't going to get the vision that was in your head. If you don't care how the final result looks it really doesn't matter who you choose, but if you do have a vision and want it to look a certain way start with stating that in your ad. After that go through and do the research for each photographer that comments and see if their work matches what you are going for.

Now let's talk style. There are so many styles: light and airy, dark and moody, classic crisp and clean, cottage core, vibrant and saturate, I could go on. The point is if you are looking for a certain style, let's say light and airy, don't pick the photographer that only does dark and moody. You aren't going to get the photos or vibe you want in the final product. And a good photographer will also tell you that that's not their strong point and maybe redirect you if they know of someone that does what you are looking for. And that's ok!

A lot of clients feel like they can't go to someone else because they are loyal to their photographer. If your regular photographer is your go to vibe that you want for everything that's great! But it's also ok that if you want a photo session that's a totally different vibe to go to someone else for that session. You can go back to your regular photographer for everything else if you want but it's ok to try someone else's style if that's what you're looking for! Don't leave us high and dry, that sucks. But if you want the cottage core light and airy vibes for one session, I am not your photographer and it's ok to have someone else do that one session. If you don't have one photographer your loyal to and you just love having quality photos that's ok too! We love getting to do fun new sessions! 

The biggest thing about vetting a photographer is communication. Talk to them about what you want and be clear about it. A lot of experienced photographers can do several different styles but if you don't communicate what you want you may still end up with something different than what you had in mind. We are usually pretty flexible and open to new ideas. It's fun to try new things. But if we aren't confident in achieving your style it's ok to go to someone else. I will always welcome you back with open arms if you've tried other styles and want to come back to me again. I support my fellow photographers that are continuing to learn and grow, as I am doing so myself and I've been doing this for 13 years in April. I love watching people get photos they love and be happy with their final product. What I don't like is seeing people be disappointed because a little research could have told them that wasn't the photographer for them. It's not always the clients fault either. Photographers also need to be ok and open with saying "I don't think I can do that. Maybe try so and so." Honesty and communication are the key to creating the desired outcome, only second to researching your photographer and their styles.

Just remember. Photos are an investment. They are timeless. A moment that has been forever frozen in time. If you want quality photos that reflect your vision then do your research and vet your photographer.