Why You Need To Vet Your Photographers

Hey Guys,

To say it’s been a while is an understatement. To be honest I lost all motivation to blog. You would think because of all the traveling I have been doing I would be out here (hell I did too!), but I wasn’t. The main thing that had me defeated was not having the right photographer the past couple months. Don’t get me wrong my friends can snap a picture, but when I have a campaign due the requirements are different. Brands want a certain type of quality when shooting their product because they also have a reputation to uphold, just like we do.

My favorite photographers to date are my great friend Josh Jones (Los Angeles), my hair stylist Rochelle Tollentino (Columbus, OH), and Pierre Henry Valdema (Myrtle Beach, SC). Something I learned in blogging is that you have to vet your photographers. This isn’t a jab at photogs, but not every photographer is for you. Josh and I went to college together and we took photography classes together, I know how he shoots and it aligns with my brand. I’m a lifestyle blogger and I shoot a lot of clothing. I used to shoot beauty and skin care but I decided to transition out of that space a little bit and now I honestly shoot whatever aligns with my life at the time. Pierre is a wedding photog. During my stay in Myrtle I really wanted to shoot with a black photographer, Myrtle is predominately white and they don’t really edit our skin tones well. I stumbled upon Pierres Instagram account and I didn’t see any blog/lifestyle content but I did reach out to ask a few questions. I told him about my brand, what style shots I like, and how I want them edited. He delivered! My hair stylist Rochelle does hair and makeup, and she shoots it as well. So when I was in Ohio for the holidays we shot beauty content, and the visions both of us had were produced effortlessly.

The reason I wanted to talk about this is because we as bloggers/influencers and content creators are not only a brand but a business. The content we produce is our portfolio to brands. Photography is a business in its own, and every photog is different (that’s what makes them special). They have their own shooting and editing styles and not everybody is a good fit for one another. I usually have a good amount of luck when finding a photographer. But as of lately I have been getting ran through the ringer and I’m sure some of you can relate. Just like every business some deals fall apart. I have paid for shoots and didn’t get all the images I needed sent to me. I have worked with photogs that completely cut off contact with me after sending initial payment, and even got images back that are pixelated and blurry. What are we supposed to do when a campaign is due? Sometimes you have to take a deep breath and post the content and pray the brand understands. Or try to reshoot the campaign on your own last minute. Because lets be real, shit happens to all of us!

So if you are looking are looking for a new photographer make sure you ask the right questions and even ask for their portfolio to review. Maybe even set up a trial shoot to see how well you all work together. These are all things I do now. Your photographer to an extent should be your business partner. Bouncing ideas off one another to execute the same goal. So with all this being said if you are in the market for a new photog, take some time to get to know them and their shooting style before pulling the trigger.

XOXO Paige