Tight budgets - impossible deadlines - complicated logistics - reluctant subjects - and now you have to hire a photographer. Sound familiar?

Buying photography need not be complicated. By developing an ongoing business relationship with the right photographer, you can negotiate in an informed and cooperative environment that
benefits both of you. Before you look for a photographer - define your needs. By identifying your communications goals, you'll be better equipped to find the right photographer for your job.

Looking for a photographer
Portfolio reviews and interviews with photographers can be conducted on an ongoing basis. This keeps you aware of the available talent and avoids stressful, last minute hiring decisions. Take the time to discuss your needs with the photographer when you meet to review his/her portfolio. A good photographer should be a good communicator, offering suggestions and responding to your concerns. In addition to an outstanding portfolio, important qualities to consider are experience, compatibility, dependability and professionalism.

The photographer will become an integral part of your creative team - hire one whose skills fit the requirements of your assignment. Most photographers have areas of specialization. A studio still-life shooter may not be the best choice for a job involving extensive location work with people. Applying your needs to the photographer's strength will assure the greatest degree of success.

Some photographers have representatives (reps) who are responsible for marketing and portfolio presentations. Although paid by the photographer, they provide a valuable service to the client. By taking responsibility for negotiating fees and usages, the rep allows the photographer to concentrate solely on the creative aspects of your project.

Whether dealing with the photographer or a rep, ask questions such as the following as they apply to your assignment: How long have you been in business? Who are some of your clients? What studio facilities do you have? Are you equipped for
a location shoot? What travel experience do you have?

Pricing the Assignment
Once you've selected the photographer with whom you feel comfortable, you can begin to evaluate the costs. It is not inappropriate to discuss fees during the initial review but asking for a "day rate" is often misleading. While it may help you to compare one day rate to another, it won't tell you what your job will cost. Day rates don't include expenses nor do they reflect the rights being licensed.

As in any free market, creative fees will vary greatly among photographers. It's easy to get caught in the trap of shopping price instead of looking for value. The experience that a photographer brings to your job, or the equipment and capabilities that he/she has available to properly execute your assignment, represent value which may more than compensate for the differences in price. In addition, photographers have business

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