Tip No. 2 for Hiring a Photographer – Digital Know-How

January 23, 2008 |

Kymm and Jeff in an engagement portrait that was sepiatoned using Photoshop. (Photo by Julia Pelish)

One myth of the photography industry is that the advent of digital technology reduced both the difficulty and cost of processing images. While some hobbyists may have seen savings and faster reproduction of their photographs, professional photographers have needed to master another skill set during the past decade to offer their clients optimum quality.

The good news is those who made the leap to digital are able to produce more unique images than ever before. But as a consumer, how do you know if your professional photographer has fully integrated digital-imaging techniques into his or her repertoire?

Here are a few things to keep in as you shop for a photographer in the Metro Vancouver area:

Ask your prospective photographers if they will retouch images themselves or if they outsource that work. If they do outsource, then that could mean additional cost to you.
How many hours does your photographer typically spend in the “digital darkroom”? Every hour of photographing should equal at least two hours of digital processing. That’s to perfect the images and add certain stylistic embellishments to create unique, signature looks. If your photographer simply downloads the images and burns them to a CD, you may not be getting full value for your purchase.
View online portfolios. Does your photographer implement graphic design into some elements of their work? Are the faces smooth and retouched, or are their imperfections that should be removed through a digital-imaging tool like Photoshop?
What’s your photographer’s level of education? This is important because photographers who graduated from university or most colleges will have taken courses in digital imaging while obtaining their degree. Other photographers will have upgraded their knowledge through non-matriculated courses, but it’s important to ask.
As I mentioned in last week’s tip “Equipment Is Key”, your photographer should be using a recent version of Adobe software (Photoshop, Lightroom). If you’re unsure of their abilities with digital processing you should ask them to show you an example of their process.

As I stated previously, I’m writing tips to help you find the right photographer to give advice and guidance to consumers in the Lower Mainland. Of course, I would like to believe I am that photographer for you, but I fully understand that Vancouver has many talented, diverse and wonderful people in the business. Like any other vendor, shop around and make the right decision for you, and feel free to contact me should you need further help.