Now you are a photographer!

We live in a digital world. From our music to our photos, our texting, our web sites, our phone calls and televisions. And there is no going back – not that I want to – I love my digital stuff! And smack dab in the middle of this digital revolution is a whole heap of cameras that capture our lives digitally in full color. Even our phones and computers have tiny little cameras embedded in them! So now that we all have cameras, two things are true of most people – we have digital pictures everywhere with no idea what to do with all of them…and …doesn’t it make us all photographers? That would seem to make my job obsolete (my official title is Photographer!) if true and with every office having a camera of some type I guess I should start looking for a new career. But before I pack up my belonging into the nearest cardboard box, lets take a look at when it is a good time to use your own personal camera and when it might be good to hire a “professional” to get the job done. As you consider photographic needs you might have in your business, there are usually 3 things that come to mind – cost, quality and capability.

Cost: With budgets shrinking it is easy to see why this is one of the biggest reasons businesses use their own cameras. They look at a digital camera at the local store for $350 and they compare that with the bill the “professional” hands them and it seems like a no-brainer. While photos of the office party might look great in the company newsletter, what you make a profit off of might need a bit better quality. Before you hand over the company photography to the next staff person with a new camera, ask yourself a few questions: “What am I paying this person and what should they also be doing?”, ” Will I loose out sales and long term customer confidence with this quality?”and “How do our images stack up against the competitions? “
With a professional photographer what you are paying for is consistent quality, experience, and predictable results – you’re paying for a whole lot more than just a camera.

Quality: When people think of quality most of the time they think of the camera. You just bought a nice 10 megapixel camera and it produces some snappy pictures! But with most things in life, the quality you are looking for is not one dimensional and there are others parts of the equations to think about. Cameras use light to create a image and digital cameras tend to be very picky about the amount and quality of light. Do you have the experience and knowledge about lighting and the lighting equipment to produce the best image? And processing and modifying or adjusting the image after the fact can be a time consuming and complicated job. Once again, while the quality you might be able to get from your office camera will work for some projects, a professional can provide you with the quality you need to give you the best images every time. I would ask, ”Who is going to see this picture?”, ” Will they make buying decisions based upon it?”  and “How does it compare against the images my competition is using?” In this tough market you need every edge you can out there!

Capabilities: This last one is the area we think of the least. We buy that cool camera, load up the batteries, make sure we have a memory card..and push the shutter button. What could be easier? The image comes up on the back and we say “Hey…now I am a photographer!” (although the picture is a bit dark and they person looks a little in pain…and there is that funny bush sticking out in back….but it worked!) The new crop of digital cameras out there are easy to use and a great tool to use at the company picnic, those impromptu shots in the office and the ribbon cutting of your new office. But the question comes up…what about the new company products? What will the photos say about them? Do I know how to light them properly? Can I do the new office building justice? Or that event that only happens once…will I get the shots ok? A professional photographer not only knows how to use his equipment but also has the experience and know-how to ensure that every image you use in marketing puts your company and products in the best light possible. (no pun intended…well maybe it was!)
If you would like us to evaluate your next project and give you and straight forward and honest estimate, give us a call. We would be more than happy to help you figure out the best way to be successful!