Making wise choices when hiring photographers.

Hi clients. I know it’s tough out there. Really I do. I don’t have any extra money either. But the thing is, I’m feeling like I need to take this opportunity to point out that sometimes choosing the cheapest photographer isn’t necessarily the best idea.

Let’s say you get four bids for a shoot. And let’s say those bids come in as $2200, $2750, $2000 and $650. I can tell you which three of those bids come from actual professional photographers and which one comes from the hobbyist with the camera hoping to have some fun and make a few bucks. (In case you couldn’t tell, it’s the last one.)

More power to that guy. And frankly, more power to you for seizing the opportunity to hire a photographer for a third to a quarter of the actual going rate.

All I really want to point out is that you’re not really hiring a professional photographer when you do that. You’re taking a big risk and hiring someone who may or may not do a very nice job. And I feel like maybe you don’t know that.

It can be hard to tell who the actual professionals are these days. Anybody can have a web site. Anybody can have a few nice shots. But the thing is, professionals have lots of nice shots. They have portfolios and web sites full of them. They are a sure thing.

Professionals are used to dealing with high-pressure can’t-miss situations and delivering great photographs every single time. That’s what the premium buys: a guarantee you will get great shots.

To paraphrase Picasso, you’re not paying for my time to make this picture–you’re paying to tap into my lifetime of experience that allows me to make this picture.

To be clear, clients, I’m totally fine with you choosing to hire an amateur photographer at a fraction of the professional price. In some instances I’m sure you don’t need professional quality from professional photographers. I just want to make sure that you understand the choice you’re making. Just because you’re paying someone doesn’t make them a professional.

When you need pro quality, hire a pro. Even if it isn’t me.

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What The Duck?

There’s a great cartoon targeted at photographers, making fun of our egos and our foibles and everything else about the profession. It’s called What The Duck.

The best and/or worst part about it? It’s pretty accurate.

Take this one for example:

This particular WTD cartoon illustrates an important point: amateur photographers are opening photo businesses on a daily basis. If you’re not careful in who you hire, you may not get what you hope (or pay) for.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s great that there’s such increased interest in photography. But the problem arises when naive clients don’t distinguish between amateurs and professionals–because these days there’s a glut of photographers and it’s harder to distinguish than ever before.

I count on my clients to distinguish between the quality of my work and the quality of an amateur’s. But some clients assign work on a meeting and a handshake–no portfolio review or client history in sight. And if they hire the wrong guy, they can spend a lot of money without getting what they paid for. Then they have to call on someone else to fix it, but by this point they’ve blown most of their budget and they’re up that proverbial creek.

So just to be safe, make sure you know who you’re hiring. Good work is good work, no matter who makes it. Don’t hesitate to hire whomever you have confidence in. But remember, professionals are paid to make great photographs every time.

Oh, and I suppose I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that at Barlow Productions we’ve got decades of professional experience. I’ve even got some degrees in photography, and I write about it on a regular basis. I hate to sound like a braggart, but the bottom line is this: we know what we’re doing. And these days, it’s important to point that out.

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