What are you looking for in a portrait session?

Question

When you look for a photographer to take your picture, what is the most important aspect in the photographer you look for? Is it quality, service, price, creativity, on-location, in-studio, the ability to add photoshop effects? What do you look for in a photographer, and what kind of pictures do you expect from one? (Besides "good"... that's obvious.)

Feel free to answer as creative as you want, and bring up services that you wish more photographers offered. And if you're a photographer, feel free to jump in. We can all learn from each other. Thanks!

Answer 1

I cant really answer you from the point of view of a model, but as a photographer, I can tell you a little bit about what is important from behind the lens.

A photographer needs to be in carefull control over the look of the image. If he/she is taking out a camera, and using it on automatic, or even worse, has a camera that can do nothing else, then chances are they're not goin to do anything spectacular to flatter you. Of course, there are some great photographs that were taken with disposable toy cameras... A good photographer will usually try to have some degree of control over both the subject (giving you good, easilly followed directions), The light (they should have done something to control how the light has been cast onto you (either by moving you into better light, or moving the light into you better). However, again, some photographers are better at doing candid type photography.

The best way to see if a photographer has 'control' over how his images look an feel is to consider the portfolio. Someone who has a portfolio that falls everywhere (good and bad photos) is generally getting their better shots by 'fluke' and still has allota learning to do. Strength of the images is key... does an older person look dignified? are their flattering features emphasized? does the football player thye shoot look bigger and meaner than most players youve seen? know what I mean?

Not only image strength, but also diversity... Sure a photographer can have 25 strong portraits in their portfolio... but look carefully at them... are they in fact just the same portrait repeated 25 times with different subject and location? The portfolio should show that the photographer is not only strong, but also has the ability to approach a good number of different subjects, and manage the aesthetics of each one individually.

Things you should never base your judgement of a photographer on are
-what equipment they have.
-how old they are.
-what they refuse to do.
Things you might want to consider are
-The quality of work they are able to show you
-How 'nice' they are to you
-whether you feel comfortable with them

portraits can be a very intimate affair, if approached properly. Quite a bit of trust has to be established between photog and subject. Youve just hired a person to create a permanant image of yourself at a given moment in time... Say that is your wedding; do you want the person shooting at your wedding to be the drunkard whose about to give a very in-appropriate toast? Or do you want the very polite art school student whose brought along her assistant to make sure they can spend the whole time looking for important moments?

A photographer can take your 'big nose' or 'acne problem and make people forget about them in favour of your un-naturally beautifull smile, or vivid stare... Just as easilly a bad photographer can take your picture, and withought even trying, make people see and hate you, just from your picture.

Photographer is one of the most powerfull mediums of thought... Partly because people trust it... (barring modern photoshop) People used to see an image and automatically trust that what the image has inside it, actually occured. This is a bit sad, because so much of whats represented inside a photograph can be untrue... perspective for example, is something that has to be controled in an image, and failure to doso can create confusion and uglyness.

Money isnt so important in the search, there are tons of amatuers who can make gorgeous images, and just as many pros who will make awefull ones... finding a good photographer in your price range is just a matter of intercepting one whose current experience dont warrant outlandishly high prices (try a local art school, teachers have great eyes for whom can create good & bad images... They would probably be happy about getting a student some work even, just dont let them talk you into anything like buying work from them, just because theyre the teacher).

hope that helped.

Answer 2

Rapport is first. It doesn't matter how much you like the work, if you are not comfortable then the pictures might reflect your mood. Being in sync will help you to communicate the kind of image you are trying to create. Is it glamour, environmental, artsy,business, family, etc.

Decide on the style and look at gallery's or portfolios to find that style. Then do a quick interview by voice or e-mail to see if you like each other.

Price is all over the place. There is a saying "It takes very little to make a woman happy, but if that very little isn't exactly what she wants, then nothing is enough". This can apply to anyone having their portrait done! If you could get exactly what you want, would price be much of an issue?

I like shooting portraits. Folks are sometimes self concious and I know I can make them look their best. One trick is to flip the negative. Most people only see themselves backwards their whole life and often they will remark "Oh, that doesn't look like me!" when they see a snapshot of themselves. It is a simple thing and it makes them happy.

Answer 3

I would want to see their portfolio. You've given this some thought because you have many of the things I'd recommend.
Price, quality, options.. like do you get the negatives? How much are reprints, etc. Just how much of the Photoshop corrections & applications are included in the price? How long is the turn around on the photos?
What does this photographer specialize in... natural lighting? Studio lighting... film or digital?
Above all, I'd want to see their portfolio... or online website that shows samples of their work.

Answer 4

I look for three things:
* A good portfolio - it should demonstrate basic technical competence (an understanding of lighting, camera angles & composition, poses, etc.) and it should show people with a spark in their eye.
* A personal click - I should feel comfortable with the photographer as a person. I'd want him/ her to capture me with a spark in MY eye, too.
Price, flexibility, post-processing options, etc, all matter too, but they're not likely to be deal breakers.
As for things I wish more photographers offered - I wish they gave the customer files to make their own (re)prints. This is starting to happen but the vast majority of photographers are still ******* about their copyright.

Answer 5

I would look for professional knowledge in terms of composition, location, dress, emphasis upon the subjects good features, reducing the impact of less attractive features, use of light and shadow, shutter speed and aperture in composition and overall camera sense to compose photographs. Anyone can take a snapshot, but that is not what you are paying for!

Answer 6

Simple: his experience and honesty.