Hiring a commercial photography specialist is a lot like hiring the right specialist for any other important job. You probably would not hire a plumber to handle an electrical problem simply because both plumbers and electricians work on houses. Likewise, photographers can be very good at what they do while having experience in completely different specialties.
A consultation in 2015 reminded me why choosing a commercial photography expert with relevant experience matters. The prospective client asked excellent questions about my experience and whether I had handled projects like theirs. Near the end, they explained that they had previously hired a wedding photographer for their business photography. They had invested considerable time and money, so they genuinely wanted to use the photographs.
Unfortunately, the finished images showed why experience as a business photography specialist can matter. The photographs lacked the quality and feel that would attract the company’s ideal clients. That did not necessarily make the photographer unsuccessful at wedding photography. Instead, the assignment required a different understanding of the audience, brand, and business purpose. After all, this company’s customers were not brides.
A commercial photography specialist should understand what the images need to accomplish before deciding how to create them. Business photographs may need to support advertising, websites, social media, recruiting, public relations, sales materials, or other uses. Therefore, attractive photography is only part of the assignment. The images also need to communicate the right message to the right audience.
Asking the right questions can help you determine whether someone is a specialized commercial photographer for your project. Before hiring a photographer for an important business assignment, consider asking:
- Who are your primary clients?
- What percentage of your work is similar to my project?
- Have you handled this type of assignment before?
- How often have you done this type of work?
- Can you tell me about a recent similar project?
- What are the biggest challenges you anticipate?
- What support will you need from my team or me?
- How long have similar projects taken?
A business photography specialist should also understand the people and processes surrounding the photographs. Commercial assignments can involve business owners, marketing teams, creative agencies, employees, models, venues, and other participants. As a result, communication and coordination can be just as important as what happens behind the camera.
A commercial photography expert also needs to consider how the finished images will be used. A photograph for a website banner may require different planning from an executive portrait or advertising image. In addition, branding, layout, audience, and final placement can affect decisions made before and during the photography.
Relevant experience from a specialized commercial photographer helps protect the client’s entire investment. The cost of getting the wrong photographs extends beyond the photographer’s invoice. Employees may have given up time, a marketing team may have coordinated schedules, and a business may have delayed a campaign. If the photographs need to be recreated, much of that effort gets repeated.
That is why hiring a commercial photography specialist is about reducing risk, not simply hiring someone who owns a camera. The right photographer should understand the assignment, the audience, and the business purpose behind the images. Water and electricity do not mix. When the photographs matter to your business, hire the specialist whose experience matches the job.