When you are a photographer, you need to be able to stand out from the crowd. Nowadays, being an amateur photographer is a popular career path but the problem is that so many people don’t take classes or courses to get certified. They can just buy a camera and start snapping. However, it takes more than just catching the right light and capturing a creative angle to be a good photographer. If you really want to stand out as a professional then you are going to have to have a couple of the following things under your belt.
Professional Photo Retouching Services
Offering a professional photo editing service to your clients is an important part of the job. A lot of people will ‘edit’ by covering the photo in a filter and pass it off as ‘edited’ but this is not the true meaning of the word. Photo retouching services should include color correction, photo styling and cropping, blemish removal and a ton more. If you state that you offer photo retouching services, you have to realize that the majority of your job is going to be editing the photos. This might be more important than even taking the photos. Any non qualified Joe Shmoe could take a picture. But it takes real understanding and training to be able to use a good editing program to make the picture into what it should be.
A Take Control Personality
A timid photographer does not make for good pictures. The problem is that most subjects, especially in large groups, are messing around, talking and generally not paying attention. You have to be able to command attention and place people where they need to be. You can’t be apologetic or shy. You have to be able to stand up on your ladder and yell at everyone to look at the camera and stop doing their own thing. You should also have some poses in mind. Your client may have some ideas as well but you need to be prepared that some people expect the photographer to have the ideas for poses. If you want them to come up with ideas for the photographers, let them know before hand. That way, they can be thinking and looking for ideas online or however they decide to figure that out.
A Fast Turnaround
Your clients shouldn’t be waiting for months in order to get their pictures. They should be able to attend the photo shoot and within a matter of hours, see at least one photograph completed with your photo retouching services. You then will have several days to complete the rest. Try not to take longer than a week. If it is a busy time of year, work on a ‘first photographed, first gets their pics’ basis and let people know that the turnaround time might be a little longer than usually due to the increase in business. If you are honest with your clients, they’ll be patient with you. It might even encourage them to know that you have a lot of business.
An Empathetic Spirit
This includes between friendly, understanding and patient. If you are photographing children or animals, it can be pretty difficult. However, if you huff and puff and mutter about how this is why you wanted to stick to scenery shoots, you are not going to get very much return business, no matter how good the photos are. They also probably won’t recommend you to any of their friends. Even if you aren’t feeling it, act excited about the photos and friendly with the subjects. They could be the most demanding, self centered subjects but your job is to take their photograph, not put them in their place. If you want to grow in your career and really make your photography into something then you have to realize you chose a career that is 100% about the customer and what they want.
Remember that photographs equal memories. To you it may just be another photo shoot, but to your clients, this could be the last time they see someone or how they treasure their children as babies. A picture says a thousand words so let your pictures say every kind and good thing that can be mustered up.
