A picture is worth a thousand words and nowhere does that statement hold true more than images used for your business.  It takes a highly skilled photographer to properly capture your company’s culture, values and offerings.  Pictures can help deliver the message you are trying to send to your customers and showcase your brand.

Let’s look at what it takes to hire the right photographer that can deliver images that are both visually appealing and deliver the right message.  There are also the right types of photos you need for your business to look its best.

Common photos you should have for your business include:

• Indoor and outdoor pictures of the building, store or office space.
• Individual headshots of employees.
• Group photos of the entire staff.
• Photos of equipment used in the company or specific work areas.
• Photos of employees in action in their work environment.
• Product images or images that portray your services.
• Photos of company resources that help to convey a message. Company vehicles for example.

Prior to hiring a photographer, you need to get all your ducks in a row so-to-speak.  The more information you have prepared for the photographer, the more accurate the bid will be from them.

Here are some of the details you should consider:

• How many employees will need to be photographed? Do you only need group shots, or will you want headshots of some and if so, how many?
• Same question goes for any products you will need photographed. How many?
• Will you want these images taken on-site at your company’s location or will you and employees be traveling to a studio or other location? Will it be a combination of both scenarios?
• What dates and times will work best for your company? Services, people and other businesses processes could likely be interrupted to take pictures.
• Is there a deadline date that you need these images by?
• What do you need these images for? Website, print, both?
• What is the budget for hiring a photographer?

It is in your company’s best interest to have all these details ironed out before you ever approach photographers for hire.

When you are ready to hire a photographer, you can search Google to find qualified photographers in your area.  You may want to consider using the search terms corporate photographers or business photographers.  While a wedding photographer or portrait photographer may be able to get the job done, it is the corporate/business photographers that will have the most experience with getting great business photos of your company.

Another resource for finding a photographer is the American Society of Media Photographers.  The ASMP is a premier trade association for some of the world’s most respected photographers.  You can use their Find a Photographer search feature, where you will find contact information for some of the best in the industry.

You can also look to the Professional Photographers of America association for qualified photographers.  Photographers that have invested in becoming a part of this association take their craft seriously.  Photographers in this association are also held to a high standard of ethics so you will be assured a high-quality product in the end.

There are some things to consider when hiring a photographer besides cost.  Experience and a solid portfolio are two of the most important for obvious reasons.  Make sure you see their previous work so you know what type of outcome to expect.  It should be obvious if they are creative and qualified to be considered a professional. Their photography style should be clear to see in their portfolio.

It’s far too easy for anyone to pick up a camera and call themselves a photographer.  If your budget only allows you to hire an amateur photographer make sure you have a good contract written up outlining everything you expect from the final images.

Here are some other hiring factors to consider:

• Online Reviews & Testimonials – A photographer might have a solid portfolio, but what if that only represents a small percentage of his work? All their pictures might not be as stellar as those they included in their portfolio. Look for reviews and testimonials from other businesses that have used their services.
• Equipment – Does the photographer have the camera, lenses and lighting necessary to get the shot? Make sure your photographer has all the right tools or you will be left with less than desirable results.  It can be tough to know exactly what is the “right” equipment, but if they show up with one lens and just a single flash on the camera, be leery.  A group photo often requires a different type of lens than a close-up headshot. And lighting is one of the most important factors in high-quality photography.
• Post Processing – Will hiring the photographer include touch ups and post processing to really make the images stand out? Or, will you simply be receiving the files straight from the camera?  If the latter, we suggest you have image editing software and some basic know-how to be able to crop and resize images compatible with the Internet.  Any touch-up or technical work beyond that will likely require the use of Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
• Digital Files & Copyrights – Unless you have a clearly stated contract where the photographer relinquishes all rights to the pictures, technically they are forever the copyrighted owner. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988 clearly states that the ownership of an image is retained by the person who created it.  Make sure you get that copyright release in writing.
• Makeup, Hair & Wardrobe – Almost everyone overlooks this. If you are going to be spending thousands upon thousands of dollars to hire a photographer, you want everyone to look their best.  Do you really want Scott from accounting to dress and primp himself for the photoshoot?  Didn’t think so.   Ask your potential photographers if they provide wardrobe and makeup services.
• Set Preparation – Be sure to clean your business so that it is photo ready. A cluttered desk, dirty conference room or overgrown landscaping outside of your business can take hours to correct in digital post processing. Take the time and effort to really make sure your place and people are ready come picture day.  Otherwise the photographer you hire will make a bundle in post processing, will be forced to return to take more pictures or leave the messy pictures as they are.
• Insurance – Ask your photographer to provide some sort of proof of insurance. Accidents happen and you want to make sure everything is covered should there be an unexpected incident.
• Preparation and Consultation – Will the photographer need to travel to your location to plan for the photoshoot? If there are any odd photographs that are needed, like special or oversized equipment, it might be advisable for them to come to the location prior to the shoot.  They may need to find the best natural light sources, consider angles to use, and decide what equipment they will need to bring with them.  If you need a professional to tell you what and where to photograph, there may be additional consulting fees you will want to be aware of.

Ultimately it will be your budget that determines what professional level of corporate photographer you will hire.  There is a wide range of costs depending on the photographer skill level you choose, what part of the country you live in and the scope of the photography services you will require.

Petapixel, a leading informational blog dedicated to the world of photography, has provided some general pricing guidelines that you can expect to pay when hiring a photographer.

Here are the average rates of photographers based on skill level:

• Hobbyist: Free or (under $100) – This is a person who has some nice equipment, but does not do this for a living. They might not follow best practices, however they can often get satisfactory results.
• Amateur: $25 – $75 per hour – Similar to the hobbyist, the amateur will have enough equipment and skill level to get the job done. They are probably just starting out in their photography career and will not have the experience that a seasoned pro does.
• Student: $50-100 per hour / $25-100 per image – As you move up the ladder, you are likely to find that corporate photographers charge by the image rather than the hour. An advanced student can often produce results comparable to those of a professional, but they are trying to get experience and build up their portfolio which means they need to offer reduced rates.
• Semi-Pro: $50–$150 per hour / $25-125 per image – A semi-pro probably has another job to make ends meet, but is steadily tracking their career to become a full-time photographer. Depending on the scope of photography work you need, the semi-pro may be the best bang for your buck.
• Professional: $75-$250 per hour / $75-$250 per image – The professional photographer will likely have their own studio and crew to help them with each project. Pros will have all the tools, experience and know-how to produce stunning corporate images.  While they are pricier, they are worth every penny if you are looking to get the perfect pictures.
• Top Professional: $200-$500+ per hour / $250-$1,500 per image – Typically these photographers are reserved for high fashion magazines and major corporate shoots. Companies like Walmart, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are the typical clients for these type pf photographers.  Probably not the right fit for your typical business.  Some of the best photographers pull in more than $10,000 / $1,500 an image.