Before you start looking for a prom photographer, it is crucial to decide what kind of photographer you are looking for/what you are looking for within your photographer. Most school prom photographers will set up a mobile studio that invites guests to come and have their picture taken as a group, couple or as an individual, giving each attendee the opportunity to have a professional picture which acts a memento of the occasion. You may however, wish to have someone capturing the atmosphere of the occasion, circulating the event and taking pictures of guests sat at tables and people dancing. You can choose to have one of these types of school prom photographer, or of course, you could have both.
Think about other things prior to your search, such as how much you are willing to spend and what you expect from your photographer(s). You may for example, expect your photographers to have on site printing.
When you start looking for possible photographers, you should use every resource possible, but the best and most reliable source is word of mouth. Talk to other schools; ask who they have used in the past and what was good or bad about them. You can then create a list of different potential photographers. If you look at each company’s/photographers web-site, you will save a lot of time, as it will let you see what kind of photos they tend to produce and allow you to make a judgement on whether they are the kind of photographer(s) you are looking for. If you like the photos you should then arrange a meeting so you can find out what they are like in person. Do they seem professional? Are they enthusiastic and excited about working at your event? Ask them how they are going to work on the night. Ask about there credentials/qualifications.
The next stage is to find out what they offer. Is there an attendance fee or will they come to your prom free of charge? How much do they charge for individual photos? Is there a team or just an individual photographer? What equipment do they use? What does there mobile studio feature?
You want to be looking for a photographer/company with top of the range equipment and years of experience, but most of all you want a photographer with good referees that would recommend them to you.
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