If you have never hired a photographer, the process can feel opaque. It should not be. Here is exactly how a shoot with me runs from start to finish.
Step one, the conversation
We talk about what you are trying to achieve, where the images are going and the feeling you want. I will ask what you like and what you definitely do not, and I will suggest locations and an approach. This is where most of the value gets created, well before any camera comes out.
Step two, the plan
You get a clear scope. Location, duration, what we are shooting, roughly how many finished images and what it costs. If something in your idea will not work, I will tell you then rather than let you find out on the day.
Step three, the shoot
On the day I direct throughout. Posing, angles, where to look, what to do with your hands. It stays relaxed and there are no stiff corporate vibes. We work through the shot list and leave room for whatever the location offers that we did not anticipate.
Step four, selection and editing
I cull down to the frames genuinely worth having, then edit and colour grade them to one consistent look so the whole set works together. This is the part that takes the time and it is the part that separates a set of photos from a body of work.
Step five, delivery
Within seven to ten days you receive your finished images in the sizes and crops you need, ready for social, web or print. No watermarks, no upsell to unlock the good ones.
The questions worth asking any photographer
- What is the turnaround and is it in writing
- What usage rights do I get and do they cover paid advertising
- How many finished images should I expect
- What happens if the weather turns
- Can I see a complete gallery rather than only the highlights
That last one is the most revealing question you can ask. Anyone can show you five great frames. A full gallery shows you consistency.
