You have a brand new line of products, and are ready to put them out into the market. You spent time perfecting them and ensuring their quality. The next step is getting it onto your website, but you realize you need photos. Unsure where to start?
When you are looking to market your new products, the photos can make or break their success. You could have an excellent product, but photos that make it appear lower quality in comparison to your competition.
In 2018, a survey in the US found that 83% of smartphone users found product photos to be “very” and “extremely” influential when buying products online. If a customer is shopping online, the photos are a key element of the decision making process. There are a few things to consider in order to hire a photographer that suits your business’ needs.
1. Know what you are looking for
Before you begin your search for a photographer, spend some time defining the goals of the project. How do you want your product to be positioned? Who does it appeal to? Where will the photos be used? Do you want only digital photos, or printed ones as well? Write down your goals and use them to guide you as you look for the perfect photographer.
There are various styles of photography, so it is important to think of what kind of photography style suits your brand the best. If you’re not sure exactly what style you are looking for, spend some time looking at photos of other products and brands similar to yours.
2. Do your research
Once you have found a potential photographer for your product, take a look at their website. From there, you will learn more about their photography style. Take a close look at their portfolio to see if their photos align well with the vision you have for the product. Not all photographers will work for every scenario. For example, a photographer that normally shoots weddings may not be the right fit if you are looking for someone to shoot close up photos of your product. It’s important to choose a photographer whose photos are something you can envision to represent your brand.
Apart from their portfolio on their website, look for more information about the photographer. Do they talk about their experience? What is their persona like? Do they seem like someone that would mesh well with your brand and deliver the quality of shots you are looking for?
3. Ask questions
Once you have found a potential photographer for your product, take a look at their website. From there, you will learn more about their photography style. Take a close look at their portfolio to see if their photos align well with the vision you have for the product. Not all photographers will work for every scenario. For example, a photographer that normally shoots weddings may not be the right fit if you are looking for someone to shoot close up photos of your product. It’s important to choose a photographer whose photos are something you can envision to represent your brand.
To make sure you pick the right photographer for your product, prepare a list of questions to ask them. There are tons of potential questions that you can ask, but here’s a few examples:
- Will you be taking the photos, or will you hire an associate to help?
- How long do you need to edit the photos and send over the final product?
- How long have you been a photographer for?
- Have you done product photography before? If so, how many other companies have you shot products for?
- Are you a member of the PPOC (Professional Photographers of Canada)
- Are you insured?
During your interview with a potential photographer, they should have questions for you as well. A professional photographer would want to have an understanding of your brand. They would also want to know the timeline, and what aspects of the product are the most important to capture.
Be sure to discuss with the photographer where you plan on using the photos as well, so that they are aware if you plan to use them for social media or advertising. It is important to be up-front about how you intend to use the photos, as you will want to make sure the licencing and usage rights are discussed beforehand, to avoid any legal issues.
4. Make sure they have the right equipment
A high quality camera and lens are important for a photoshoot, but a good photographer should have more equipment than that. To shoot a product, the photographer should have lighting equipment, as well as a backdrop. They should also be in charge of staging the photos and bringing props if needed.
Proper gear is important to having a quality final product. Make sure to check if they are using the right equipment for the job.
5. Compare prices
Before you start looking for a photographer, you should have a budget in mind. There are many aspects that can impact the price of photography. The number of photos, the equipment necessary, the level of experience of the photographer, are just a few examples of things that can affect how much they would charge. It is helpful to ask for quotes from a couple of different photographers that you have in mind.
If you are looking for a professional photographer, you may end up paying more than you initially budgeted for. It’s probably best not to go for the cheapest photographer if they seem inexperienced, or do not appear to have the knowledge you would expect to take product photos.
You should feel confident that the one you chose will deliver the quality you expect, at a budget that is reasonable for you. Remember that the quality of the photos is the most important, as they will represent your product online and can have an effect on whether or not they sell.
