Locating Commercial Photographers.

There are countless ways in which to find a list of local commercial photographers but below are the main techniques that I would consider using:

1. Depending of course on your regional location, a quick browse through a few local printed business directories should turn up a few potential photographers. Remember to search in the 'Commercial and Industrial Photographers' section though, as wedding or family photographers probably aren't suitable for your needs. The risk of overlooking many potential commercial photographers exists if you only conduct this kind of search, as many commercial photographers have chosen to opt out of printed directories since the proliferation and mass popularity of the internet.

2. Online Directories. Online you'll find a wealth of both specialist photography directories and more generic business directories. The good ones will have a handy link to the photographers own home page which is a major advantage over the printed directories. As with the printed versions always try to narrow your search to only include 'commercial photographers' else the bulk of these results will be wedding and family portrait photographers. A great convenient search method if carried out well.

3. Understandably, the most popular method of locating any local business is to simply use a search engine such as Google, Yahoo, Ask, MSN or Bing. Again be sure to enter the correct search term and not just 'photographer in yourlocation' as you will be inundated with wedding and general photographers. Normally a simple 'commercial photographer yourlocation' will suffice, however you may want to change your location to your nearest decent sized town or city as most commercial photographers will naturally locate themselves nearer main centres of commerce. Don't be tempted just to pick the first entry in the list, try to browse at least the first two pages of results as you may be missing a real gem. Just because the photographer has mastered the knack of search engine optimising doesn't mean they'll be the best at photography.

4. AOP (Association Of Photographers), MPA (The Master Photographers Association), BIPP (British Institute of professional Photography) Etc. No doubt a useful starting point when searching for local photographers but by no means all inclusive. I have known plenty of hugely talented and high profile photographers that have never subscribed to such professional photographic bodies. Also be warned that the photographer's quality, ability and reliability cannot always be measured by such paid for credentials. However, still a useful resource.

5. Personal Testimonials. 'Word of Mouth' is a still a powerful marketing tool for any business and one that I would certainly employ if searching for any local trade. A personal recommendation is like gold dust. Ask them as many questions as you can and then witness the photographers imagery first hand by flipping through the portfolio section of their web site. This will give you a good idea as to whether or not you really like the style of the photographer, as you won't want to just book a photographer because their are reliable, you've got to love their work too! Working on a personal recommendation is always a great starting point and is a good way of trying to side step as much risk as possible. Do still check out their web site and don't just simply dismiss other less known photographers in your area, as you may just be missing out on a real gem.

In conclusion, whether you are looking for an architectural photographer to shoot your new state of the art premises or a product photographer to capture the wonder of your latest gizmo, finding commercial photographers need not be a tiresome task. I would recommend that you employ a selection of search techniques and draw up a short list of photographers you like, that way you can carefully compare and ultimately select the one that is right for your project.

by: Andy Nickerson

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