Why Communication Is So Important
After you have done your research and have settled on a photographer you think will best represent your brand/project, it is important to have a clear idea of what it is that you want to achieve with your photoshoot.
Will you be wanting the whole property/space photographed? If not what rooms/spaces did you want to get photographed that you think will best represent your design work to its full potential. Planning exactly what you want to get photographed will then help you better communicate to your chosen photographer what it is you want . Also keep in mind that quality over quantity is better. So only focus on areas that you think will photograph well, or ask your photographer for their opinion.
Another thing you will need to consider is will you be needing a stylist? Is the property vacant? In most instances having the spaces you want to get photographed styled will definitely make the overall photos look better. If a stylist is out of your budget then consider at least bringing in a few props that will help make the space look more inviting. If the space is not vacant then it is a good idea to talk to your clients and let them know how long the photoshoot may take (ask your photographer). In most cases it’s not just an hour but several hours. Ask your client politely that in order to get the best photos it would be good if the spaces are decluttered and big bulky items are removed. Communicate with your photographer and ask them what preparation should be done beforehand. Remember that the photographer is charging by the hour so you want to be able to utilize this time to capture beautiful imagery and not be waiting for things to be cleaned up, preparation is key here.
It is also important to let your photographer know if you are planning on entering the photos into any awards and also if there are an requirements that the photographer needs to know about in terms of format eg. must be landscape in orientation only etc or particular sizing of photos so that they can deliver the correctly sized photos to you.
If you are thinking of sharing the photos with any other parties involved in the project you are getting photographed it is important you let the photographer know. This comes under the licensing of photos and it will save you the embarrassment of then having to tell the other third party that they can’t use the photos. All photographers are covered under the Australian Copyright Law Act 1968 and when they are contracted by a client to photograph a project they are simply giving that client the license to use those photos for their own business use only or as stated in the contract (which most professional photographers should have). If any other third party business involved in the project wants a copy of the photos to advertise their business they will need to also purchase a license to those particular photos.
It is therefore very important that clients communicate this intention with their photographer as a lot of photographers have collaboration fees that can be added to the cost of the overall shoot which then allows any third parties that agree to the collaboration to have a copy of the photos for their own use. This may also be a cheaper option for the client as the cost of the overall shoot would be split amongst the number of collaborations.
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