How to choose a photographer: a guide for small and medium-sized businesses. Written impartially by a photographer in North Wales.

1. How to choose a photographer
An impartial guide for small businesses

2. It’s tricky...
For most small or
medium-sized
businesses, hiring a
professional
photographer is not an
everyday event.

3. So how do you go about
finding a photographer?
And how can you tell
which one will give you
the results you need?
Not to mention
expensive...

4. We’re here to offer impartial help
(yes, really)
We’ve used our knowledge and experience of
the photography industry to create this guide
for small and medium-sized organisations.

5. Define your
requirements
1

6. 1
Define your requirements
There’s plenty of photographers in every location, but
specifying what you want to achieve will narrow down your
options to a few really appropriate choices.
 What kind of style do you want to create? Of course
you know what it is that you want to be
photographed, but what kind of look and feel do you
need?
 How do you want to present yourself? Do you want to
look friendly? Large and corporate? Cool and funky?
 Do your premises or your products require styling?
 How much do you want to spend? At a basic
level, hundreds or thousands?
 How soon do you need the images?
 What do you need the images for? For instance, if the
images are for your website, you’ll possibly need low-
resolution images in a particular shape.

7. Find a list of
local suppliers
2

8. 2
Find a list of local suppliers
It’s usually cost-effective to find a local photographer. This
makes communication easier and avoids high travel and
subsistence costs.
 Of course, if you’re using an internet search engine, save
time by including your location e.g.: ‘photographer in
Yorkshire’ or ‘photographer in Manchester’.
 If you’re a business, avoid Googling just
‘photography’, ‘photographer’ or ‘professional
photographer’, as you’re likely to end up with a very long
list of wedding and portrait photographers.
 Instead, look beyond page one of the online search results.
Commercial photographers like us tend to be swamped by
all the wedding photographers, even if the word
‘commercial’ is included in the search.
 Trade associations usually offer a list of members. UK
bodies who don’t just sell accreditations include the British
Institute of Professional Photography and the Master
Photographers Association (look for a photographer with
Full Membership).
Use your
location to
narrow down
your choices

9. Check the fit
with your
requirements
3

10. 3
Check the fit with your
requirements
Take a look at each photographer’s website and see how
well they fit with the requirements you defined at Stage 1.
 Can you see images in their portfolio that have the look
and feel that you’re looking for?
 Who are their clients? Do they work for organisations
that are similar to you or in similar industries?
 Are their clients a similar size to you? This will indicate
whether or not they are a close fit with your budget.
 If your products or premises require styling, do they
have a stylist? And props? A good photographer isn’t
necessarily a good stylist; it is a different skill set
altogether.
 If you require models in the photoshoot, does their
portfolio include images where models have been
used? Do they provide models?

11. Look more
closely at the
websites
4

12. 4
Look more closely at the
websites
Here’s where you gain confidence in your preferred
photographer. (It doesn’t hurt to give them a call, either!).
 Does the photographer quote testimonials from named
clients?
 What does the photographer specialise in? For instance, a
fashion photographer will have a different set of skills to an
architectural photographer.
 Does the website contain case studies or a series of images
for a client? This is a better indication of the quality you will
receive than a single hand-picked image from a range of
different photoshoots.
 Does their website show attention to detail in spelling and
grammar?
 Do they have their prices on their website? Can you
see, without too much difficulty, how much your project will
cost?
 Are they members of a relevant trade body? Many
accreditations can be easily bought, but membership of the
British Institute of Professional Photography and the Master
Photographers Association should indicate a high level of
proficiency.
Look for
case
studies...

13. Check what’s
included in the
quote
5

14. 5
Check what’s included in the
quote
The photography industry is full of added extras, so be extra
careful about checking the quote.
Does the quote list exactly what’s included in the price?
 The cost of the photoshoot itself?
 Any travel or subsistence costs?
 Hand-over of the images?
 Images in the specification you need, such as high
resolution?
 Simple post-shoot editing, such as cropping and tweaks to
light and colour?
Are any other requirements you may have also included?
 The cost of models?
 The cost of styling and the provision of props?
 Specialist editing?
What are the licensing arrangements?
When will payment be due? Will you need to pay a deposit
upfront?

15. A few more
things to
consider
6

16. 6 A few more things to consider
 Can the photographer meet your deadlines?
 Is the photographer fully insured?
 If the project involves children or vulnerable adults, has the
photographer been checked by the Criminal Records
Bureau?
 Does the photographer sell stock photographs to image
libraries? Will they agree not to sell your images, so that
they remain exclusively for your use only?
 And don’t forget your gut feel: are they the kind of person
you want to work with? How well do you get on with
them?

17. More details* are available in
our free checklist
www.northshorephotography.co.uk
We don’t have a sales team
and we certainly won’t be
pestering you after you’ve
downloaded it. We promise!
Click here to download your
copy
* And some handy tick
boxes