The first thing that most companies do when they need to outsource photography work for a brand campaign or corporate photoshoot, is to gather quotations. That’s usually done with the right price in mind. While it might be a priority to keep costs low, there are other really important factors to consider as well. Taking time to consider them will help you get the most value in terms of time, expectations, and overall experience.
Here are five things to check for when selecting a photographer to work with on your next campaign.
1. Industry and experience
The job scope of a photographer is usually more niche than wide. For example, the knowledge and skill needed for architecture photos are quite different from skills needed when working with people. Most reliable photographers spend years honing their skills in a specific area. So it’s important that you find someone who has provided photography services within the same industry your company is in, and ask how long they’ve been doing it for.
In case you were wondering, our forte lies in working with people of all levels: children, corporate professionals, and even C-suite seniors. We also have corporate videography and video live streaming experience in our portfolio!
2. Language and communication
This goes without saying of course, but we’re just putting it here because it makes a big difference! Communicating is already a challenge for some, what more when it comes to creative ideas. This can sometimes be one of the hardest things to express and understand simply because creativity is so abstract. It helps to work with someone who speaks your language, but not just ethnically.
If your photographer knows how to convey his / her ideas or understanding of your brief clearly back to you, or help to build upon those ideas in a way that aligns with your goals, that makes everyone’s experience a pleasant and enjoyable one.
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
3. Location
Photographers are very mobile and quite willing to go the distance if the job is worth it and if travel costs are covered. Here’s where you need to factor in extra travel expenses if you were to hire a photographer who is based out of town or even in a different country. If your marketing budget has room for it, then feel free to hire the very best photographers, regardless of wherever they’re coming from!
If your photoshoot location is based in Petaling Jaya or Kuala Lumpur, our studio is located right on the border of each so we’re able to easily hop over with no travel fees included!
Photo by Jeff Hopper on Unsplash
4. Equipment
This may be relevant if you hold a more technical role within your marketing team and plan to work closely with your external photographer. It helps to understand what equipment he / she is familiar with and if it’s suitable to accomplish the kind of job you are expecting. For example, doing certain product advertisement shoots may require the use of a high speed camera and not every photographer would own or have experience using one.
5. Budget
Finally, budget. We intentionally made this the last on the list. Why? Because…
Whenever anyone has a budget-first mentality, they tend to short-change themselves of the true value and quality of work they should be getting.
Very often, budget service will give you budget outcomes. An experienced and professional photographer will be able to listen to your needs and goals, recommend a way to meet them at a reasonable rate, and then deliver quality as promised. Give yourself that chance to speak with a professional by considering all the above first, before you narrow it down to budget.
If you’d like to enquire about our corporate photography, videography, or live streaming services, just hit the button below to contact us. We’d love to hear your ideas and see how we can help you meet your marketing goals through quality visuals and videos. We won’t bite. 🙂
Featured image by James Bold on Unsplash
