Choosing a Product Photographer

A good portion of the world believes that photography is just photography and anyone can do it. And, to a certain extent, they are right. Modern photography is just a push of a button... or is it?

We do collectively marvel at the frozen moments captured by wedding, sports, and wildlife photographers. And if photography were so simple, wouldn't we be bored by the plethora of "stunning" moments everyone would be producing? I realize that is a rhetorical question but it is illustrative just the same. Some people just have the knack, talent, and perseverance to capture these moments and the expertise to profitably share them with the rest of us - now that's professionalism.

At this point I would like to introduce another twist. Everything I described in the above paragraph is about capturing a moment. But if we really think about it, product photography is about creating a moment - a subtle yet important difference. In many ways, it is in total contradiction to the activity of photography and most wedding, portrait, and sports photographers are incapable of doing it. So how do we go about choosing a good product photographer?

Here are some attributes I find in all good product photographers:

Understands Standard Business Practices - Writes clear, concise proposals; understands invoicing and payment terms; and clearly defines rights of the work produced in standard terms.

Honest About Capabilities - Fashion, food, glass, jewelry, large objects, small objects, etc are all types of product photography. I know a photographer who shoots nothing more than sailboats! My point here is you can't be an expert in every one of them.

Creative Mind - When you get off the phone with the photographer are you beaming with enthusiasm or do you feel like he gave you a headache?

Partner or Provider? - Does the photographer want to work with you to help develop a successful campaign or are you just another customer?

Clear communicator - Do you know what to expect or are you always trying to nail him down on something?

That's a pretty short list and for the most part it is not very specific but the subjective answers to those questions should give you clear direction on whom to start working with. Clearly, you will want to evaluate any provider you choose on those attributes in the future also.

Some of you may be asking about my lack of comment on the portfolio so let's take a look at that. I know of photographers that have hired other photographers to create a portfolio for them! While I believe that is a very rare occurrence let's consider the less extreme. The photography industry has an overabundance of "how to" books, tutorials, and workshops out there that a portfolio can never tell you about the creativity of the person you are considering. Use the portfolio to qualify a person to get on the list to interview and then try to grade your prospects on the qualities listed above.

Once you have decided on a prospect, give them a small job and see how it goes to minimize your risk. Place a large amount of consideration on your part in the scheduling process. After all, if you are constantly changing the requirements, the project is probably not going to be completed according to the original schedule. But if the photographer says this iteration will be done by close of business tomorrow and you still haven't heard anything from them three days later, it's probably not someone you want to do business with in the future.

In conclusion, a good SF table top photographer is a very valuable asset to your business concern. Once you find the right person, that portion of your business can run smoothly with very little attention on your part allowing you to focus on other problem areas. And that is something worth spending the extra time and resources on in the beginning. Because in the end, nothing sell without a compelling photograph!

Related Post: Studio Photography - Do You Know the Six Advantages Over Outdoor Family Portraits?