If you don’t have the time to learn photography and fuss around with a tripod and self timer or having friends take cell phone shots of you isn’t cutting it anymore then it may be time to outsource. As a photographer myself that shoots blog photography, many of my clients come to me for these very reasons. They got tired of trying to do it themselves only to end up with lackluster photos that aren’t leading to engagement on their blogs. Working with photographers can up your blog’s visual game and save yourself the guesswork when taking photos. Having professional photos taken for your blog can show potential collaborators and sponsors that you should be taken seriously and are worth working with. Here are a few tips for how to find the right photographer for you.
Research
You need to know what type of photographer you need to hire. Research is important in this regard. Hire someone that has shot bloggers before or at least some type of lifestyle photography. Know your budget. Good photographers cost. Unless you have a random intern shooting your photos and if you are you already know how I feel about that (See: Why hiring volunteer or student photographers doesn't help your business). You can negotiate and find an affordable photographer without breaking the bank and batching outfit posts or flat lays during one day will save you money in the long run versus have separate shoots. Many photographers will list their pricing on their websites or social media and may have specific packages or specials just for your blogging needs. Overall, make sure they are of the highest quality and align with your blog’s brand and how that should look.
Have it in order
When hiring a blog photographer you need to have your house in order. In this case your house is your brand. Know your time frame. If you want to have an outfit post up every week on Fridays don’t try to scramble on Wednesday to get it shot. Give yourself and the photographer time to get the shoot accomplished and batch process. Don’t do anything in real time. If you can shoot 8 outfits in one day and you post twice a week you’ll have style content for the next month. Planning. Planning. Planning. Know what type of photos you need. If you’re doing a brand campaign and need photography for it, have a mood board for your photographer so they can know what type of look the brand is going for. Know whether you want a studio shoot or on location shoot. Typically lifestyle and outfit posts are shot on location but plenty of flat lays, food and product photos are shot in studio. If your photographer doesn’t have their own studio or equipment then you’ll have to account for them having to book a studio and equipment. Know whether a team needs to be assembled. Do you need a makeup artist or hair stylist for your blog photos or are you styling your hair and makeup yourself? Do you need a wardrobe stylist or are you picking the looks and styling them yourself? Know your concept. If you’re going for a carefree, whimsical vibe then don’t pick a dark and moody cemetery for the shoot location. Pick something light and airy like a garden or park.
Related: 7 things to have in order before hiring a photographer
Get it in writing
Whatever you finally agree upon with your photographer, whether you met up in person, talked on the phone, texted or emailed: get it in writing. Have a contract that explicitly says how the photos should be edited, when and how they should be delivered, how long the photographer should keep up with the photos after they deliver them to you, who has the overall rights to the images and when and how they photographer is to be paid. Having these few ground rules in writing will save you plenty of headache later and just creates a less stressful situation in the long run. If it’s all written down and signed off on you don’t have to worry about when your images should be coming, when to pay the photographer’s invoice or being unhappy with your photos. At the end of the day working with a blog photographer is a collaborative relationship and should be cultivated, as most people find a photographer they like and stick with them versus working with multiple.
Related: 3 Questions to ask your photographer before signing the dotted line
If you’re struggling with how to create quality photos for your blog or business leave me a comment below and let me know how I can help. If you’re based in Atlanta I offer a blog photography package here for fashion, beauty and lifestyle bloggers that need their looks shot. Don’t be shy and send me an email.