Do you need an advertising ,commercial or corporate portrait photographer for your business website?

Most business will now have a website ,many are simple sites that are created by using a ready made site by such suppliers as WIX ,Weebly ,Site 123 or 1&1. These can be a great start and if you are a small start up business ,they are certainly a good solution for your new enterprise.

If your business is more established and a website is a integral part of your business ,you may employ a web designer or marketing agency to create an all singing site that works as your main interface to the world of commerce .

All these sites need photographic images, there are exceptions ,but the majority of most business websites shall require an image or two ,or even if its for a leaflet or just a portrait for your Linkedin profile .

The Website designer may choose stock images ,often appropriate but the choice is often because the images can be cheap and the often inclusive fee shall be kept for the designer .That way your site may look like your competitors so why not get original photography.

So you need to find a photographer ?

Many shall already know a photographer, in fact its unlikely that you don't know a photographer , there are thousands out there and anyone with a camera can say they are a photographer .

You may just need a few images of your premises, a few staff pictures and maybe some images of your product or service .

You maybe lucky and get someone who is more than just an enthusiast ,and get the images that work ,for now ?

A few years down the line and your website is looking a little tired ,so maybe it is time to polish up the site ,maybe even commission a new site . Then is possibly the time to consider a specialist photographer and produce a professional collection of images for your business and enhance your brand in the competitive market place.

Where do you look and what do you look for ?

Google ?

Just Google ‘Photographer’ and you shall find well over a 1350 Million leads - who can you trust ?

This is where it can get interesting ,because even photographers themselves are not sure what category they belong in and so many shall put everything in from Animal to Zoo , in fact if that is all they put in ,you would be certain they could photograph an Elephant ?

Many photographers are like any business ,they want work and try and get into as many categories as possible and be the ‘Jack of all Trades’ and we know what they are the Masters of ,and its not the Universe .

An experienced professional photographer should be able to tackle many genre and he or she can research and get a good idea of how to photograph a corporate portrait . But can that person resolve photographing a time poor ,ego fueled CEO in under 3 minutes ?

An experienced and professional portrait photographer ,will communicate with the subject and already have the lighting set ,so what may only take a few minutes ,can produce a striking portrait that shall do justice to a front page of an annual report and reassure the board and shareholders.

When a Food Photographer takes a photograph of your signature dish ,they are also condensing the experience of years working with great chefs and food stylists to capture a n image that will just leap from your website and say ‘eat me’ .

A portrait photographer who can relax the most camera shy subject and control a difficult CEO with diplomacy and tact and get the quality result in a short time frame.

This is where you need to be very sure your choice of Snapper is right .

If you have entered ‘Corporate Portrait Photographer ‘ there is going to be much less chance of a disaster and the risk of finding yourself looking for a new post .

Corporate photographer shall find a mere 60 Million choices .

Google ( other search engines are available ) may have found out where you are and helped narrow the search to a local photographer and provide maps as to where they are .

However ,geography is important ,but what are their qualifications ?

You maybe in central London ,Birmingham or out in Warwickshire or the Cotswolds ,there are loads of photographers listed .

Do you have time to check out a few ,see the website and find out that although they list corporate photographer ,they have really not just photographed a few mates ,who happen to work in the business world and look the part .

A good listing in google shows that there website has great SEO and maybe they have long pockets to market , however a safer way of checking is looking at Professional trade associations .

If a photographer is a member of a reputable trade association , and they are listed in the specialized area you are seeking ,then you do have an assurance that ,they have experience ,have the right equipment for the project and they are insured .

Beware of ‘Bidding’ sites , without naming them ,that would possibly be illegal , I suggest that those sites that will get the ‘best selection of tradesman ‘ are only suggesting a photographer who pays them to be put forward as a professional ,they make money from all those who bid and have little vetting .

You do get a price comparison ,but when choosing a photographer do you want the cheapest or best for the job ?

I have to state an interest here , I do belong to a photography trade association,so I shall have to admit there is self interest , but there are many photographers within the association to choose from so please see this as professional advice .

If you are searching for a professional photographer ,start by finding a reputable photography association. There are many but I recommend the AoP .

The Association of Photographers ,founded in 1968 and has members who are at the top of their profession,from fine art photographers who are exhibited in galleries across the world to industrial specialists who consistently work across the globe for multi national corporations .The AoP are very selective and to become a full member you have to be sponsored and provide a portfolio that proves your work is at the highest level in your specialist genre .The original organization was established by Advertising and Editorial photographers who included the great trilogy of Bailey,Duffy & Donavon and the best advertising photographers in London if not the world.

The AoP that has consistently helped the profession with guidance for good business practice and have produced the text book ‘Beyond the Lens’ a book that is recommended by most Universities that teach photography and used worldwide as a professional practice .

To conclude ,when commissioning a photographer ,search for the Association of Photographers and go to the ‘Find a Photographer’ section then put in the specialism and the area that you are interested in , its a good start and when you see the consistently high standards of work ,you shall realise that although there are millions of photographers to choose from you can start your search at the top of the profession .

Or you can just call that guy you met last week at the pub ,he seemed to have a nice camera and will only only charge you a pint ?

Here is a link to the AoP

www.the-aop.org

And here is a link to my website just in case yo wish to see if my folio is what you are looking for ?

www.gullachsen.com