How to Select Your Photographer
1. It Starts With Style!
No two photographers can create the same artwork. Each has their own unique way of working, seeing, creating and connecting to their clients.
Love the style of the photographer’s work. If the artwork is any good, the portraits will be unique, e.g., when you see a Helene Anne Fortin original, you know it is hers without ever looking at the signature. Style is simply the perfection of a point of view. Love that point of view! Crave that same kind of “look and feel” for your portrait. If the photographer’s work is identical to all others, consider looking elsewhere.
2. A Great Connection
Take time to find the right photographer. Plan a one-on-one visit with the photographer beforehand. As being photographed is not something you do every day, you need to feel a good connection to that person.
Seek out a photographer with a gentle heart and a great eye, one who naturally elicits your comfort and trust. One who will give you lots of time and can hear what you are saying.
3. Buy Quality. Expect Guarantees
Just because your great-grandparents’ black and white wedding photographs still look like the day they were hand-printed, this is not the case today. In this fast-moving digital age, many photographs will not stand the test of time—in fact, many will be lost—because of how they are being printed and/or stored.
Ask your prospective photographer these key questions:
- -As I want to keep my portraits for a long time, what guarantee do I have as to their permanence?
- -Will you be using archival matting with all my artwork?
- -How will you be outputting/printing my artwork?
- -How long will you keep the negatives and/or digital files from my portrait session?
- -Will you stand behind your work? If so, for how long?
P.S. Don’t hesitate to contact Helene Anne if you are uncertain about the answers to these questions. She will guide you to ensure that you know how to buy quality and expect guarantees. This all-important step is critical as these are your legacy portraits. Learn as much as you can prior to making your commitment. Invest in the quality you deserve.