We all know that price and products are major deciding factors when booking with a photographer, but there are other important things to consider. Many will recognize that heart and passion should be considered, but an often forgotten element is fit.

 

The fit between the client and photographer is one if the most important factors that is often overlooked. 

 

In this economy it's easy to follow the sales and the flashing promises offered by deal sites. Money's important, but so are memories. For a family session, fit can mean the difference between a cozy happy session or awkward stressful one.

 

On your wedding day your photographer will be with you potentially from the beginning to the end. They will be part of your memories and potentially a guide through some parts of a very important day.  Your photographer should be like an extra friend for the day. Someone your comfortable with, someone that is professional, reassuring and capable of capturing your love in a style that your walls will display forever. 

 

When considered, it becomes apparent that fit should be a major factor on important days. In fact, consider a day you can never do over. One that you will never do again.  The moments when you or your spouse are in pain. When as a couple you labour to bring life into this world and you welcome your child into your arms. In these moments, fit is incredibly important. Having someone there who is professional, experienced and capable of intuitively knowing what to do is immeasurably essential. The right photographer will be supportive or invisible based on the clients needs. They need to add to moms comfort level and not distract from her doing what she needs to do. They also need to work along side fathers,Dr.'s, nurses, midwifes and doula's staying out of the way but capturing it all.

 

The importance of fit grows equally with the time you will spend with your photographer and the momentousness of the day.  As stress levels increase so does our awareness of fit. Not only does the client need to pick the right photographer the photographer needs to pick the right clients. The fit does not go only one way, as a photographer choices have to be made and not all clients will fit with your style and personality.  The last thing anyone wants is a personality clash during a session or significant day.

 

So whether your shopping around for a family, wedding or birth photographer take the time to ensure that the fit is right.  Meet, have coffee in neutral territory, ask questions and chat.  In ten years you may not remember how much you spent, or even the photographers name, but the professional you hired will always be a part of your memory. And your experience with them will be part of the pictures on the wall.