Here is a growing and evolving list of Keys to to hiring the right photographer the first time. Being a knowledgeable client will help you work with vendors who provide creative services. This guide is set up to help new clients and refresh other clients on important points in hiring the right photographer.

1. Define your photographic needs.
2. Hire the photographer who fits the assignment.
3. Look for value instead of shopping for price.
4. Discuss usage and rights up front

In defining you photographic needs you should answer the basic questions of Who, What, Where, When, How. 'Who' is going to use the Image? That may seem like a redundant question to a small business owner buying photography, but some clients are art buyers or graphics designers or art directors; so they are not the end users of the Images they contract. In some cases a group of Partnered businesses want photography of their latest project. This is common with new commercial construction where every engineering firm, and every contractor who helped build the building may want use of the images to show off their part. Defining who helps eliminate additional problems with usage-licenses where someone who intended to use the images was accidentally left off the license. Note: groups get a better rate for their use of the images but the over all cost is higher; more use = higher cost. 'What' needs to be photographed, and what is the images going to be used for? Defining the 'what' can be very simple, like photographing a product on white. It can also be very complicated like photographing a manufacturing plants process. 'What also covers any special treatments that might be needed for you images; What post processing is needed, are the images going to need to be extracted to transparent, what logos or products will need to be added in post-processing. 'Where' describes the locations the photographs will be made at and describes placement for use of the image. Placement locations can range from Magazine covers to webpages, to brochures. Placement affects the visibility of the image and can effect the needed file size. 'When' covers time issues relating to the creation of the images and the duration of use. When will the images be needed, when will the shoot need to take place by, when will the images no longer be used. Last of all you need to define the 'how'; How will long will the images be used, how many images will be needed, how does the photographers images add value to my project.

Distinguish between your wants and your needs. Instead of cutting corners on quality, look for getting greater value from your photography dollar. There are always ways to pay less for photography - but bargains can be expensive. The expertise of the photographer will save money in the long run. Be open and honest with the photographer when negotiating your assignment. Good communications can help you solve your problems and achieve your goals.

Hire the photographer that fits the assignment. I doesn't take a genius to know that if you want BBQ ribs for dinner you don't go to a sushi bar. That same logic applies to photography, you don't higher an aerial photography specialist to photograph an indoor wedding. Even within specialties like commercial photography there are different styles to consider, you likely wouldn't want to higher a punk rock style photographer to do a portrait of a very conservative CEO. Check out a photographer's portfolios, and talk to the photographer by phone if possible, before jumping on board with a photographer that doesn't fit the style of photography that is needed.

A mistake I see clients make is contracting only on price; often resulting in bad images and the assignment needing to be reshot with another photographer. This could have been avoided by looking for value rather then shopping for price. So what provides value to you the client? First, Value comes from working with a professional company and photographer. Second, Value comes from a skilled photographer who can meed your needs and find creative solutions you might not have thought of (this is the reason you defined your needs first) Third, value comes from the photographers ability to relate with you; like any business relationship, relating well with each other is key to a good overall experience.

Usage and rights are a big are area of misunderstanding for many first time clients, and small businesses. Even some clients who have never worked directly with a photographer may never have heard or understood usage and rights terms. Many photographers sadly don't understand usage and rights for an image until years of working in the industry, since too little time is spent on the basics in school. As the client you wrote down some of your usage plans when you defined your photographic needs. With that information a photographer can build the correct rights into the final image license.

Some key points on usage is to define what you need to use the image for, how long, where it will be placed, and how long the image will be used for.