Purchasing Photography Services

Purchasing Photography Services

by William Lulow

I have written about this often, but advertising art directors and art buyers know how to buy photographic services from professionals. They know what goes into creating an effective image when it comes to selling a product or service. So, they are extremely familiar with what the costs are in producing a photographic assignment.

Individuals and small business CEOs really don’t know, for the most part, what is involved from the photographer’s perspective. Many believe that to photograph a product all you have to do is place it on a nice background and take a picture. I’ve even heard some people say things like, “Oh all I need is a headshot for my website. Just take a couple of shots with your professional camera.”

Well, even though taking pictures is far easier today than it used to be (there is no film and processing to contend with and we now have digital cameras that basically do everything for us), there is some technique to getting really good quality images. Oh, you don’t really need the best quality image because the photo will be reproduced very small on a website? Well, think again. Many people look at websites much more carefully these days since it has become the major way other people get to know you. If it’s a product you’re selling, people will “mouse over” it to enlarge it so that they can see it in detail. Still think that a “good enough” image is okay for a website?

No! If you are thinking about selling anything, including yourself or your services, the images you use on your website need to be the best quality you can achieve. Otherwise, your product will not sell.

I have several things I tell first time buyers of professional photography:

First, I tell them that the best way to buy photography is by what is called the “day rate.” This is the rate that a photographer charges for his/her time. And, these days, since there is really no more “film and processing,” time is the most expensive commodity. Time includes the photographer’s expertise and the many years of training and experience that goes into learning the art and science of photography.

 If you hire a photographer by the day, you can usually get more shots done in the eight hours than you could if you commissioned the work “by the shot.” Sometimes, in the case of producing a catalog, or a number of shots for a website, the day rate can be broken down to a “per shot rate” as a way for the client to compare prices. The “shot rate” used to be based on how many finished shots could be completed in an eight-hour day. If it was still life shots, that number was probably around twenty. If it was fashion, which included styling, props, changes in sets, etc., that number was usually only ten. If you are looking for corporate portraits, I have done as many as thirty in an 8-hour day, provided no hair & makeup is necessary.

As an aside, providing styling services like hair & makeup serves to invest the subjects more in the quality of their portraits. When people are proud of the way they look, they tend to promote the images more.

Second, I tell clients to try to save up as many shots as possible that need to be completed for a brochure or website. That way, the photographer’s time is best utilized.

Third, I advise my clients to invest in getting the best quality images as possible. That way, people who look at their websites will be able to see every detail of themselves or their product. When it comes to photographing people, I take care to make them look as good as they can look. I do this by engaging them in conversation in an attempt to find just the right angle and expression that shows them off the best. My lighting has been perfected by years of experience to provide constant, quality light for all my subjects. This only adds to the impact of photos that you will use.

Here is a “simple” shot of three light bulbs. This was created by laying the bulbs down on a piece of clear plexiglass about 3 feet from the studio floor. A gradient background was placed on the floor and positioned just so that the background would read dark to light. Two lightboxes were used to light the bulbs, one on each side. They provided the long highlights that gave the bulbs their definition while leaving the inner filaments visible in the shot. This shot took about four hours to create before all the elements were perfect.

Here is an image of a leather computer case. It had to be shown with the computer and a couple of “desk props.” In order to make the image on the computer read in the photo, all the studio lights had to be turned off and the exposure required a slow-enough shutter speed to allow the image to be seen. This required a tripod and a cable release for the camera.

These images of workers at a tech company, had to be shot full-length as well as in headshots. This required a much more complicated setup than simply placing them on a white background:

Here is what that setup looked like:

Shooting about 40 people in this company took 1.5 days to complete. The setup alone took about an hour-and-a-half to complete.

So, if you are thinking about buying some professional photography for your website, or any other use, think about what it takes to create really powerful images, the way you envision them in your mind. Then, remember that even though they may be used on a website, they still need to be of the best quality. Otherwise, they really aren’t worth doing at all!