Unless you’re one of those polymorphous, work-a-holic designers with a renaissance man appearance, we’d be willing to bet you outsource most photography work you receive to a trusted ally. You shouldn’t feel ashamed about this in the slightest: Clients hire you because they haven’t got the skills necessary to accomplish what needs to be done. In the same way, hiring a photographer to deal with your image needs is a great means to an end. However, do you know what you should be looking for in a photographer?

  1. Killer Portfolio: First and foremost, all photographers should come with a book. Just like your own portfolio, this book should detail all of the awesome images they’ve snapped during the duration of their career. Keep in mind the points this book should display: Recent, high-quality images that showcase the particular strengths of that artist. Always ask the photographer what their area of speciality is, as well as what areas they aren’t so great at. If they don’t want to answer, move onto another prospect.
  2. Competitive Rates: They’re pricing schemes should also be comparable to what the industry is charging. To get a feel for this, just call around and see what other photographers are charging. If your primary targets rates are within the ballpark, then you’re good to go still.
  3. References: Design is a bit different from photography in the sense that all photographers should have references available and ready for you to use. Without exceptions, you should be able to phone up one of your prospective outsource-ee’s references and get a glowing review. The idea behind this is simple: You really want to be sure that the photographer arrives on time, is courteous to those involved with the shots, and is otherwise capable of getting the job done. For the duration that this photographer is involved with the project, he (or she) will be your representative. Any negative behavior will directly reflect back on you, and will not do a damn thing to help your business. Just like hiring an employee, you want to be absolutely sure that this individual will be capable of completing the job, and doing it with the same professional air that you usually put up.