1. What should customers know about your pricing? (E.g. estimates, discounts, fees, package pricing)

My charge rates differ for the type of services the client is looking for. The three main services I offer are Events/Weddings/Portraits. All my charge rates for events/weddings and portrait shoots can be seen on page 2 above. Unless otherwise stated, if the event or wedding is less than a day long and cannot fit any of the offered packages, an hourly fee of £100 will be charged to the client. First time clients get 10% off any package they choose.

2. What process do you go through when starting with a new customer?

When starting out with a new client, the first part of the process always consists of what the client is looking for; what their requirements are; and how much are they willing to spend. Once the initial consultation has been completed, they select the package that is most appropriates to their requirements. The final step of the process is to confirm a date on which they would like our services and sign a contract.

3. What education or training is most relevant to your work?

The learning never stops as every shoot I conduct teaches me something new about photography and the clients you are working with.

4. Do you have tips or advice for someone hiring a pro in your line of work?

• Be clear from the start and let us know the type of service you are looking for, whether it is an event you want us to cover, or a simple portrait shoot for your portfolio or personal use.
• Make sure you familiarise yourself with our rates to ensure you get the best package deal appropriate to your requirements. You can always discuss your options with us if you are looking for something bespoke.
• Make sure you read the terms and conditions of the contract carefully and ask us if you are not sure about anything in the agreement before signing the contract.

5. What questions should customers have ready before speaking to pros about their project?

The following questions should be asked by the clients before hiring a photographer:

• Their style of work.
• Cost (cost breakdown) of the services and whether any discounts are available.
• Bespoke services.
• Communication medium – how best to communicate with the photographer.
• Photo gallery of past similar events – ask us to provide you with photos from any past events that the photographer has covered to get an idea of how it aligns with your requirements.
• What to expect on the day of the shoot.

6. What are some good examples of past customers?

My work and the services I provide my clients speaks for itself. This is evident in the feedback and the reviews I have received from past shoots conducted. A good example of a past customer can be read in the next question.

7. Describe a recent project that went well. Scope? How long did it take?

One of my most recent project was a portrait photoshoot that took place in Regents Park London. The main aim of the shoot was to take 20 – 30 portraits at various locations in the park during golden hour (near sunset). The duration of the shoot was almost 2 hours, and I managed to get all the shots I had envisioned. The event was a great success and the photos turned out exactly the way I wanted them to look. During postproduction, I went through the photos from the shoot and selected the best ones. The photos were then edited/colour corrected/retouched and finalised. The photos were then showed to the client, and they were pleased with how they turned out, as the photos were used for their portfolio.

8. How did you first get into this line of work?

Photography has always been something that I take a great amount interest in. It started out as a hobby when I bought my first Camera (Nikon D5200) in 2015, but after experimenting with my DSLR and trying different modes, I realised that there are so many ways and perspectives that you can take a picture from where each picture tells its own unique story.

I got into this line of work when the very first client that I worked with invited me to cover one of their charity balls that they were hosting to raise money for a non-profit organisation that builds schools in third world countries. They invited me because they heard about my photography work from a close friend and wanted me to cover it, which I agreed to do. The event lasted about 4 hours and I captured roughly 500 pictures. After the event, I carefully selected the best pictures and edited them to make some minor adjustments. The photos were the shown to the client and they are super happy with the work done. As this was my first work, my payment was a free entry ticket to the charity ball. After this event, I started to pursue photography as a part time profession and work with more clients to build up my portfolio. I have owned a DSLR camera for 6 years now and over the years, I have worked for many private clients to undertake professional photographs covering the following: Events/Parties, Charity Fundraisers, Weddings and portrait Photoshoots.