YM Taks Two to Tango, AKA “Cupid”, Appaloosa Stallion owned by Samantha Peterson

You’ve been itching to book a photoshoot for your beautiful horse or dog, but with technology advancing faster than you can blink, there are so many “photographers” out there offering their services.

But which one the best one to hire??

How do you go about finding a photographer..?

What questions should you be asking?

Portfolio and Style
- When looking for an artist, always make sure that you like their work! Do they edit their photos to have muted or desaturated colors? Do they keep the colors true to life? Maybe you like black-and-white photos with high contrast. No matter who you’re considering using as your photographer, if you don’t like the work they’re showing in their portfolio, you’re probably not going to like your photos. You could ask them to try something new, but keep in mind it’s extremely possible that it won’t go well if it’s not a style they like or are familiar with.
- I personally prefer to keep my photos colors as true to life as possible. If you wear your favorite blue shirt for your session, I don’t want to tweak the color to a different shade of blue on you! I may occasionally tone down or edit out something insignificant from the surroundings if it’s sticking out too much and drawing the viewer’s eye away from the subject in my photo, but I do my best to look out for things like that while photographing a session- it’s a lot easier to fix things in-person rather than fighting with them in editing later.
Experience and Expertise
- How long have they been in business? How many clients have they worked with? You want to make sure that they know what they’re doing and know how to help you with posing (for you and/or your animals), emotions and facial expressions, not to mention your tack, animal’s confirmation, or other specifics that they should notice and make adjustments for even if you might miss it with all the commotion of getting ready for your shoot. An extra set of eyes is never a bad thing!
- What about their education? Do they continue to study their craft? Do they specialize in one or two specific genres? A photographer who specializes in product photography for magazine ads might not be as comfortable posing you or your horse for a portrait session. There are a thousand different things that I keep an eye out for during a session- is there a tree behind your horse that will look like deer antlers in the photo? Are your horse’s off-side legs hiding behind their closer legs and look like he’s missing two and “peg legged”? The same goes for your tack and outfit- is the throat latch on your bridle twisted? Maybe there's dirt on your pony’s nose. These are all things that will throw off the polished look you want in your photos.
- I started my business as a boudoir photographer in 2019 and pride myself on my ability to pose clients of any size or shape so they look their best! You don’t have to be in the photos with your horse or pet if you don’t want to, but I really do love getting to capture the bond you have with them! I’m also constantly working on honing my skills and making sure my clients have the best possible experience. You’re not hiring a photographer to “just push a button”. I’m here to help you with styling, nerves, training, interior decorating, and a whole host of other things based on your specific needs for your session!
Reviews and Recommendations
- This kind of ties in to our Experience and Expertise point above- what do their past clients say about them? Did they enjoy their sessions? Have they been back for more? Technology helps us out a lot in this regard- it’s easy to read business reviews on their Google and Facebook pages especially.
- Many business owners will also post screenshots of their clients’ reviews on their social media and website so they’re easier for you to find, too! There are a ton on my website and social media from my awesome clients <3
Communication and Personality
- If the photographer you’re talking to sounds like an old friend that you’ve know forever even though you’ve only been on the phone for a few minutes or exchanged a couple of emails, that’s a good thing! No matter what we do in life, everyone has different personalities and ideas and habits, so why not find others who can relate to YOU! And it always makes thing easier to work with a photographer who can communicate quickly and efficiently to answer your questions! (But please keep in mind we have lives and families, too- if I were to try to reply to every email, call, or text as soon as it came in, I’d inadvertently burn myself out and likely be off my game for my clients and clients considering me as their photographer.)
Investment, Value and Options
- Have you thought about how much you want to invest in your photoshoot? Every business’s prices are different for a variety of reasons: their costs of doing business, cameras/lenses/gear add up fast (I’m looking at investing around $5,000 on new gear this year), costs of life, the value of their time, skill, continuing education- the list goes on and on! Some photographers charge a few hundred for a shoot, while others are priced in the thousands. BUT, keep in mind that a photoshoot is one of the RARE things you can invest in and enjoy for a lifetime (and some multi-generation heirloom pieces!) with high-end, luxury products like gorgeous custom canvases, wall art, albums, and more!
- Personally, I am constantly working on my skills, education, and improving my clients’ experience to the best of my ability. It also took me a few years in the factory workforce before I finally realized that I COULD build a photography business as a career because, quite frankly, that wasn’t something that my family ever had money for when I was growing up. I understand that everyone is at a different phase in their lives so I do offer up to 12-month payment plans to help excited clients fit their photoshoots into their budgets!

Whoever you decide to use as your photographer, I hope you enjoy your session with them and fall in love with your photos and products afterwards!

If you’re thinking I might be the photographer for you, send me a message on my website at https://addictedphoto.com/contact-us so we can connect and start planning!

I can’t wait to hear from you!

5 Things You NEED to Know before Hiring a Photographer