With photography being more popular than ever, and cameras more affordable than before, it’s no wonder everywhere you turn you see a new face in the industry.

So of course it can be a challenge when hiring a professional (or sometimes an amateur) to make the decision of who should be capturing those precious moments for you.

With so many photographers, out there, where does one start? How do you find the right fit? Here are some tips:

Hire a professional.

I understand hiring a professional can be costly, I recommend hiring the best option you possibly can for your budget. If Auntie Mary said she will take your photos for free, because ‘she wants to be a photographer’, there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has to start somewhere, I know I did. Just remember to keep your expectations in check when you see the final result. Professional photographers have put their hard earned time and money into their career and education to be good at what they do.

Set your budget ahead of time during your search to help you narrow down the possible options.

Hire a photographer who specializes.

If my cousin Bob is an amazing wildlife photographer for National Geographic (p.s. I secretly would love that job). He probably isn’t the best fit for your sweet baby girl when she is 7 days old. Sure, he is a professional, and has an extensive photographic skill set, but Bob doesn’t necessarily know how to create the sleeping baby hands pose.

I specialize in weddings, senior portraits, and lifestyle sessions. This lets me hone my craft and provide the best possible images for you and your family.

Determine your artistic style.

The beauty of photography is the fact that it is an art form. If you had 10 photographers photography a basic headshot of the same person, you would most likely get 10 amazing, yet very different, results. I think that is beautiful. Start doing some research on what types of images appeal to you. Create a vision board with those images and see what photographers match both the same style and budget.

Do you like clean, modern images? Or grainy black and whites? Muted colours? Dark and contrasted shadows? The possibilities are endless. Art is subjective, so make sure you love the previous work of the photographer you have hired.

Fall in love with your photographer. 

Of course you have to love the work he or she produces, but I mean fall in love with the actual photographer. Like I said before, photography is an art form, it’s subjective. In order to create outstanding work it is important to click on an emotional level and to really trust each other.

Artists are passionate people and they will put their heart and soul into the work they create for you. Trust them.