We’re all after a good deal, but is a cheap event photographer worth the risk?
The event photography scene in Melbourne is absolutely crawling with start-ups. Small operations, very new to the market, that promise the world but end up inevitably delivered a world of pain.
Exaggeration? Hardly. What we’re talking about here are people with good intentions who are stepping into a world that they know nothing about. Nothing about the planning. Nothing about the level of service required on the day of the event. Nothing about the delivery of high-quality products soon after. Nothing. Zilch. Nada.
Here’s a list of traps to watch out for to make sure that you’re dealing with a quality event photographer who will give your event the respect it deserves.
Time In The Game
Ask questions about how long your event photographer has been working and when their most recent venture was started. Event Photos Australia have experience nation-wide for the past sixteen years. Compare that industry knowledge and product know-how to someone operating out of their parents basement for the last six months and willing to do cheap event photography to get their foot in the door
Industry Connections
Who have they worked with before? What brands and companies are listed on their homepage? What big events or conferences have they participated in? If the answer is ‘not much’, ask yourself what that potentially means for the quality of service they are capable of delivering. They might shoot your event and deliver a poor-quality product and you’ll not book them again. But the stakes are much higher for you. Your event doesn’t get to have a ‘do over’.
What Else Can They Offer?
Can they brand their photos with your specific requirements? Can they offer a ‘client delight’ experience that will lift your event into the stratosphere in terms of guest satisfaction? Do they have state of the art photographic services, like GIF booths and green screen photography to enhance the big day itself?
Event Photos Australia proudly offers a event photography service that can be catered to the kinds of extras you’d like to see. These are bespoke solutions that are perfectly tailored to form the exact impression that you’d like to make. It’s good business.
Where’s The Proof?
Perhaps the most tell-tale sign of all is when you ask for a portfolio of prior work. Or is that just not an option? Ask to see evidence of high-quality shoots they’ve done in the past. Last week, last month, last year. Nothing on offer? That’s a red flag. You may also ask to see the whole set of images from one event, after all anyone can take thousands of images and pick out the best 1 or 2 from each shoot and make an “awesome” portfolio.
Making The Right Choice. Is a cheap event photographer really for you?
It can be tempting to go with a start up event photography company because they’re cheaper. But use your business sense – is cheaper best? Or will it simply be a case of ‘you get what you pay for’.
Making the right choice in terms of event photographer in Melbourne means that you’re building a legacy. Your events captured the way you envisaged them to be. These are photographic proof of your hard work, your brand’s reputation and the fabulous time had by your attendees.
It seems every week that a new photographer directory listing or crowd source website or even app such as AirTasker pop up with unverified professional photographers. If you’re going to go down this route, please be extra careful. Are you even sure the portfolio you’re viewing is even from the photographer you’re getting at your event?
We ask again… is a start-up the right choice for you?