Questions to ask your photographer:
What is your style of photography: casual, formal, more candid or posed?
What is the difference between candid and studio shots?
First of all, candid shots can be done in the studio or on location, indoors or out of doors. A candid shot is one that is un-posed. The subject might still be in a studio setting and the photographer might snap an unplanned shot in between the posed shots. I would consider this candid, as the subject is not purposely trying to express anything, but is being spontaneous.
An even more candid shot would occur when the photographer is shooting an event and the subjects are just going about their activities and not posing at all. The photographer might still be using some on camera flash to capture some action regardless of the setting or lighting.
What to wear?
Ask about colors, patterns, full length attire, necklines, textures and the style of clothing.
Clothes for Black and White photography:
Clothing should be simple. Solid colors are best, avoid busy prints. If you have some people in darker colors and some in white , the white clothes will dominate the image....even more than the faces do. This is true in color photos as well.
Clothes for color photos:
It is important to coordinate colors in a group photo. This does not mean everyone must wear the same color, but that the colors need to look good together. Toddlers and babies can wear prints, but larger people are more flattered in solid colors, especially darker tones. If you are photographing a very large group (over 20), select 3-4 colors and mix them up within the families. If each family wears the same color, you end up with big blobs of color.
Do you use supplemental lighting?
This is so important and I think the single most important factor separating the professional from the amateur. How the photographer manipulates the light makes the difference between a snapshot and an image that makes you stop and pause.
What time of day is the lighting best for the area you will be photographed in?
Talk about settings that will look good hanging on the wall in your home.
Is it okay to bring pets?
Do they allow for a wardrobe change?
Is there a separate sitting fee? What kind of finishing and retouching is included in the final prints, and what is the cost with and without these services? Can you purchase a CD or the negatives now or sometime in the future?
Pricing structures:
Most photographers charge a sitting fee which covers their time to take the photos, edit them and put together some sort of presentation to the customer. Even if they say they do not charge a sitting fee, it is built into the cost of the product somewhere, so it is wise to consider all of the costs to get your final photos.
Some photographers charge a more substantial sitting fee and charge less per image, others intend to make more money from the images and charge a smaller sitting fee.
Remember, you are not paying for a piece of pater, but for the photographers creativity, expertise, and of course, overhead. Often, professional photographers charge only a few dollars more for a 5 x 7 than an 8 x 10. The philosophy is that a great deal of time and education have gone into making that image and the cost difference in the paper size is minimal.
The above questions were answered by
Laurie Bray. Laurie is the owner of
Photography by Laurie in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has over 25 years of experience as a professional photographer, and loves studio settings as well as candid. She is available throughout the Intermountain West, at 801-261-4284, or at
http://www.photographybyLaurie.biz.