What can you expect from your photographer? Well we’ll be talking today about the nitty gritty of a photo shoot; how quickly you can expect to recieve your images, what happens if you have to postpone or cancel a photo shoot, agreeing to terms and conditions, and what sort of service you should expect are all reasonable questions which often only appear when it’s too late to ask. Well, we can’t speak for every commercial photographer out there, but we can tell you how we aim to deliver in terms of customer satisfaction. Certainly photographers can expect a certain amount of clear communication from their client, and it’s vital to supply your photographer with a clear brief.What can you expect from us?Our commercial package remains the same for all our clients, and there’s no hidden extras waiting round the corner as with many commercial photographers. We feel it’s important to be flexible, so we ask our clients to agree to some basic standard terms and conditions before booking a commercial photography shoot, but we’re here to talk through any special requirements - and we always aim to make life easier for clients wherever possible. So, back to what to expect from us:

• You will receive a branded DVD delivered to you in our sturdy ‘Post Secure’ packaging
• The DVD contains both high and low resolution images, optimized for Print (300dpi) or Email / Web (72dpi)
• A useful PDF contact sheet will also be stored on your DVD
• Your images are stored on a secure website, accessed via your own personal log-in

We often are asked how to go about choosing the right commercial photographer for your needs, and it can be a difficult and time-consuming task. To help you make a choice we’ve highlighted a few points to look out for when selecting a photographer.

Lets pretend for this exercise that you are either a commercial business requiring photography of an event or for a new marketing campaign, or perhaps you’re a design or advertising agency tasked with finding a good photographer who will suit your client.

Different ways to find a commercial photographer:

Personal recommendation
Always a great start, if you know someone who has used a photographer and rates them highly, head there first.

Try a Google/Yahoo/MSN search
Often a favourite for pushed-for-time designers and Art Directors, it can get you good local photographers quickly if you keep your wits about you. We often point people to a photographers website, and many fall at this first hurdle with poor sites that aren’t updated, or difficult to navigate. It’s up to you in terms of judging a photographer by his/her website.

Working with your photographer

Any photographer will benefit from a well thought out brief, either emailed or printed out, outlining briefly what you would like from the photo shoot ie: a range of images reflecting the external and internal features of the new building. It is a good idea on this brief to include the address and postcode for the photographer, as well as two contact telephone numbers.