Hiring a photographer; in house or outsource?
Whether it’s for company headshots, product photos, or photos for the website, almost all businesses will need a photographer at one point or another. Good photographers make the art look easy (so easy that some people think that they can take the same photos on their iPhone X), but it takes a trained eye and investments in equipment to take professional-level photos.
Whenever a business or a company is thinking of hiring a photographer there are usually two options; hiring a photographer that owns their own photography business, essentially subcontracting the work out, or creating a job on the team for a photographer to work as an employee of the business.
Determining which way to go for your specific case depends on a few of the following; how often you will need a photographer, how much you’re willing to pay, how much of a priority you place on photography, and if you have the resources to bring a new member onto your team.
Hiring a Photography Business
This is best when you only need a photographer for smaller or less frequent photoshoots. For these one-off shoots, you can expect to pay anywhere from $300-1000+ per hour of shooting (Source 1-4). Some photographers might be more comfortable with this arrangement because they get more flexibility, get to work on their own terms / own contract, and get total control over the photos and how they can be used. For larger photography businesses or photographers that may have multiple clients at once, they may prefer this method so that they can continue to take other clients at the same time.
If you’re wondering what goes into a photographer’s pricing, an article will be published on that topic soon.
Choosing this option can be less costly than hiring a photographer on the team if a photographer is not frequently needed. However, choosing this option also means you’re at the pricing, direction, and the schedule of the photographer you’re choosing to hire, and you’re also likely paying a higher per-hour rate than if you created a spot on your team. Working with a photography business is the most popular route for businesses, but for those looking to have photographs taken more frequently, it’s not the only option.
Hiring a Photographer to be a part of your team
This is the more unconventional approach as a large number of businesses don’t need photos often enough to justify making it a hired position, but for those that do need frequent photos, this can make more sense and save money. Hiring a photographer as an employee allows a photographer to spend their time entirely on your projects, allows the business to have more control in the creative process, and can save money compared to the cost of hiring a photography business.
A photographer might be attracted to this type of arrangement if they are the only employee in their photography business, only do photography part-time, or don’t have the legalities of a business established. This arrangement also provides the photographer with a more stable income (although it might be a lower income), job security, and benefits like healthcare and paid time off that a subcontracted position would not allow. Some examples of companies that might benefit from an in-house photographer include; fashion or retail stores that need product photography often, businesses that invest a lot into marketing, or companies large enough to give a photographer multiple assignments a week.
The Third Option: A Hybrid Combination
I know that I presented this article like there were only two options, but there’s a third that can be a good opportunity for both the business and photographer once a relationship is built and trust is established. Some photographers are willing to give discounts to businesses that book multiple photoshoots with them in order to keep their calendars busy. After finding a photographer that you enjoy working with, it could be worth digging deeper into this type of arrangement that’s a great in-between of both of the options I presented earlier.
If you clicked on this article because you’re not sure whether to hire a photographer or not, the first step would be to check out different photography businesses that specialize in your needs (commercial, portrait, etc) and get a good idea of what you can expect to pay for their services. If you’re a part of a large business or think you’ll need photography often, then creating a job opening within your business might make more sense. If you don’t fit into one of those categories, working with a photography business is likely the route you will have to take.
Hopefully, this article answers some of your frequently asked questions on your options when hiring a photographer. If you have any more questions, the Yellow Weld team has two photographers on the team that are happy to answer.
