Tips for Booking your Photographer

I see a lot of posts on Facebook for someone asking for a photographer.  I always am so happy when I see my name mentioned, to me that means those individuals loved their photos and loved them enough to recommend me to someone they know.

When you're looking for a photographer I would offer a few tips.

1. Ask to see samples of their work.  If the photographer has a website, make sure and ask for a link and look at not just their portfolio of photos (those will always be the photographers favorites) but also links to sessions.  If you're looking for a senior photographer for your son or daughter you don't want to see (for example) just race cars.  You want to see a sample of their senior photography work

2.  Ask for recommendations, chances are you were already referred by someone, ask them "Did you book so and so photography" if so, what were 5 pros and 5 cons.  See if the photographer has a Facebook page and check their recommendations. Its like shopping on amazon and you read the reviews

3.  Knowledge, Test their knowledge, if you have ideas ask them and see what their open to, if they don't know how to do something you may not want to book that photographer, hopefully that photographer will be honest with you and say I haven't done that but I know How, or I haven't done that but would love to try it.  You'll know if your comfortable with that photographer

4.  Quality.  ALWAYS ALWAYs choose quality for your photos.  These are memories that you should be printing.  If your not printing, then honestly your doing it wrong, PRINT your memories, put them on the wall, send them to family, create an album.  Don't just get your flash drive put a few on instagram and forget about them.  PRINT those memories.

5.  Price.  Everyone has a budget, ask the photographer for a price list but most important ask the what is included.  A knoweldgeable photographer will have done CODB. (cost of doing business) and what she charges is what she knows it will cost her to do business.  I stand behind my prices, my quality, my recommendations, and my samples of work.

Not everyone will book a session with me, thats ok, I know it boils down to this or that.  find the photographer that is right for you and it's just like finding the right stylist or the right dentist.  Thats the person your going to call on time and time again to capture and record your lifetime of memories

Headshots

This year I wanted to take on a year long project for the main organization I photograph for on a monthly basis.  I wanted to feature the members of NBHA15 in Texas.  When I started my photography journey they were one of the first organizations I started to photograph for.  

They have always been a HUGE supporter of my photography and I have grown to know so many of them that I wanted everyone to know how amazing they are.

My goal was to feature the members so we could get to know them personally and also to understand why they are members of the NBHA.  After their headshots I ask them to type up 2 paragraphs and send them to me to share along with their photo.  Through this project I have learned a lot I didn’t know about each one of them.

Through this project we’ve also seen quite of them get featured on a national level which makes me extremely happy for everyone to meet our local barrel racers.  All over the world there are amazing people out there and for me to work on this for 2020 I am so happy to get to know people at a little closer level than I would if I was just photographing their action photo.

I like to take on projects if it’s for a day, a week, month or even a year they help me grow!  I can’t wait until the end of the year to see how many I am able to capture and to get to know each one of them a little bit more

Www.JoHPhotography.com

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Rent vs Buy

If you have the opportunity to rent a piece of equipment before you buy I highly recommend this.  Luckily photographers are able to borrow a lens, camera or lighting gear from friends, stores and rental specialty locations.

It is one of the best ways to try out a piece of gear before you lay down $Hundreds and even $Thousands in dollars.

If your not sure about a piece of equipment and rush out and buy it then realize it's not what you really "needed" But "wanted" you just used up your savings and unless that store has an amazing return policy, your piece of equipment because a very heavy paperweight and you'll have trouble getting what you paid for back.

There are times when I need a certain lens for an event, I rent a super wide angle lens for real estate photography, it's not something I do on a regular basis, I may photograph 1-4 houses a year which is not much, the lens I need is $1400 why spend that much money on a lens that's going to be used 4 times a year.  Instead I rent that lens, if the agent wants to push more work my way, I would love to buy the lens but until I work at a job to pay for the equipment than renting is the way I will go.

Weddings is another event that you can rent and save money on specialty lenses and not have so much money sitting around.

Check out some of your local camera stores and ask them if they offer a rental program.  Most stores offer a 1 day rate for weekends, which Is the best time to rent.  You pick it up on Friday after lunch, keep it all weekend, return it on Monday before lunch for the price of 1 day.  Thats a steal if your using that lens for a weekend of jobs.  You save a few thousand dollars and you don't have to turn your profit into a paper weight

Owning is great once you know you are going to use that lens, or if you have to send your equipment off to be taken care of for maintenance and repairs, rent the equipment you need to keep from buying a second piece.  I use my 70-200mm F2.8 pretty much daily, if that lens goes back to the manufacturer for some work, I am calling the local camera store and renting it for the jobs I have.

I do have multiple lenses in my arsenal but each one has a specialty and may not work.  So before putting a bunch of money down and impulse buying, rent something to try for a week or two and then you'll know if you have to have it or just wanted it.


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Event Photographer and Promoters Working as a Team

There is a great quote by Henry Ford

TEAMWORK!
         Coming together is a beginning
                 Keeping together is a progress
                         Working together is a success!

I've been an event photographer since the very beginning of my photography career, it's how I actually got into photography when I wanted to learn.

I remember buying my camera and not having anything interesting or so I thought at the time so I reached out to a few clubs in the area to start practicing.  That little email that led me to Saint Jo Texas to photograph the Saint Jo Youth Rodeo Series for a couple years led me to other avenues

I ended up hearing about a barrel race at Nocona by TOBRA, I reached out to that organization and asked if they had anyone photographing and could I come out.  I am ALWAYS going to ask I am against people practicing on top of the event photographer and then giving photos away. I think its a courtesy to ask and then be told yes or no you can come out.

After a few years traveling with TOBRA I found some local organizations (NBHA15 which serves my area, WWP at the old Wild West Arena in Azle its named something else now) and then some random races around the area.

Over time I started to photograph for Infinity C Ranch, Bar G, BPH Productions, Salt Creek and a few other promoters.

I think what has kept me in the arena (most event photographers do retire from that and move onto other things) is the teamwork I have with the promoters/producers.  I feel like the current ones I am working with we have a good "TEAMWORK" we respect each other and help each other.  They allow me to come out and photograph at their venue/events and I in turn advertise and do everything I can to help get the word out about their events.  Over time I will sponsor events to support them for supporting me.

I have been blessed to have good experiences with promoters, there's always going to be bad experiences.  From the bad experience I have had I would highly recommend communication and make sure everything is clear up front.  Know what your going into and what they expect from you and vice versa.

Don't just take as a photographer, don't go in and shoot, sell and leave, you do need to do something in return.  I offer this and that and if they don't follow thru and let me know then I have made the invitation that this is what I can do for you.

I like that my working relationship involves them and I working together on dates.  NBHA15 will always reach out to me at the end of the year to ask what my schedule looks like, I like that, they want to work with me.  They will never replace me as a photographer also and that may not seem like much but that does make me feel good.

I've been named their #official photographer as well as Infinity C Ranch and BPH Productions when they were having their Tuesday night Races.  As a photographer in a very busy area those little things mean alot.  When I'm free for races for Bar G they also will name me as their #official photographer.

What that means to me is they will support me at their events and if someone else shows up to try to photograph and give photos away I know they will politely let them know we have a photographer please don't step on her toes.

I have been blessed to work with some amazing organizations and as I try to slow down and move into other areas, I have a goal and plan to continue but continue at a smaller level and continue to work with the promoters I currently work with.

When I started my goal was never to go to the big events like NFR or BBR World, I just wanted to be good at what I do at my level, the events I chose to photograph(If I am ever invited to something on a different scale than what I photograph, I would be honored to take a look).  I couldn't do that without the support of the barrel racer and the support of the promoters/producers that allow me to be a part of their team.

I look forward to 2020 and working with NBHA15, Bar G, Infinity C Ranch, NTHSRA, KP Productions, TJRA and a few other events.

MY schedule is pretty full for this year but I do have a few open weekends contact me as far in advance as you can if your interested in myself photographing for you.

www.JoHPhotography.com

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Getting ready for your session

Yesterday while capturing Madison Wrights headshot for her MaddGlam page she mentioned something so amazing, she wanted to do a series of videos on how to get ready for your photo session.

First of all check her out on Facebook under MaddGlam, she is the #official Makeup artist for www.JoHPhotography.com.

I like to mention to any potential clients that one of the best things you can do is prepare, don't wait to the last minute and think about what you would like to accomplish as the end result of your session.

Some sessions go really quick and easy some take alot of work, I don't mind scouting backgrounds (after a retainer is paid of course) and meeting up with the clients to talk about your vision.

Right now I have a few sessions in the works, we talk about clothes, time of year, color therapy, animals, no animals, time of day, makeup etc.  Alot of work can and can't go into a session.  Some of the best sessions involve alot of behind the scenes and prep work.

Photographers book up early for senior sessions that are between February and Graduation, Don't wait to try to get the photographer of your choice, there may be a good chance their books up.  Plan ahead, pay your retainer get your date reserved then if weather comes in and messes up your day your on the books and they can work with you on moving to the next available day.

If you want your horses to be dolled up and looking gorgeous that takes time too, make sure their bathed, new shoes or trimming, get a FITTED halter, it doesn't have to be a fancy leather halter with silver, but if it makes your horse look amazing, borrow one, just make sure it fits.  Everyone will say You can just Photoshop it.  We don't want to photoshop it, we want to do less on the computer as possible.

so make a checklist. 

1) Photographer

2) makeup artist

3) location

4) time of Day

5) clothes

6) etc.  

Talk to your photographer and make up artist to help you, this is what we do and we want your session to be the best session ever.  We know having a photo shoot isn't cheap (at least for an experienced photographer).  We want you to get what your paying for.

Contact me for your senior, family, engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn, baby's first year session.  Anything Equine it's what I do.

www.JoHPhotography.com

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