5 Things To Know Before Hiring A Vacation Photographer

There’s always this dilemma when you’re travelling, and that is – should I bask in the moment and take all this beauty in, or should I take a look at this glorious landscape through my lenses and try and capture the moment on camera.

Now, some would say your memories live forever, but then again, digital photos also do. If we’re being honest, this is not an easy situation to be in. Well, the good thing is – you don’t even have to think about it.

A good workaround for this mini-problem is hiring a vacation photographer to capture the moments while you’re living your life to the fullest. Most Instagram influencers have one, so why wouldn’t you? Well, that seems like an easy question to answer, but it really isn’t. What we mean is, there are some things that need to be answered before you go out and hire one. So, without further ado, here are 5 things to know before hiring a vacation photographer.

1. What Are Vacation Photographers?

First of all, let’s get one thing out of the way – what are vacation photographers? Well, essentially, these are the photographers that you’d hire to spend time with you on your travels and have them take pictures of you doing various fun activities and whatnot.

Whether you’re with your loved one, your friend or family or just all by yourself – a vacation photographer can prove to be a lovely companion for many reasons. Not only will you end up with professional photographs ready for your Instagram page, but you’ll also have a tour guide of sorts since these guys have probably done everything that you’re planning on doing during your vacation. So, bonus points for that!

2. How Can You Find A Vacation Photographer?

Many believe that it is hard to find a reliable vacation photographer, and we kind of agree with them. Everyone’s primary concern is finding a dedicated photographer that’s going to take good photos and hopefully not scam you out of money, because let’s face it,  you’re only in town for a few days – if they do, you’re never getting your money back.

So, the best place to start searching for a vacation photographer would be Google and Instagram. Google is an excellent place to start because you can literally just search for the photographers based on the area you’re in, and in a few seconds, you’ll be able to see your options.

Another way to find a vacation photographer is through Instagram. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to just type in “best photographers in the area”, but what you can do, is look up the ones you’ve found on Google and check out their portfolio on Instagram. This should give you a good insight into what you might expect as far as the quality and style of photographs.

3. What Are Their Rates?

This is not a question that’s easy to answer. For instance, if you look up “Maui photographers”, you’ll probably stumble upon 808.pictures, which is a website where you can find award-winning vacation photographers that work across the Hawaiian archipelago.

If you’re dealing with a professional company or a group of vacation photographers, you’ll probably be able to see their rates somewhere on their page or a website. Even if you don’t, you’ll undoubtedly be able to discuss the rates with them before you even hire them, which is a must if you’ve never collaborated with this photographer before.

Now, keep in mind that rates will vary depending on the place you’re visiting. It would be ludicrous for you to find a photographer in Hawaii that’s as cheap as the one from Vietnam or the Philippines. So, the rates will vary, but we doubt they’ll ever be higher than $300 per photo shoot.

4. Should You Book Them In Advance?

This is a good question. We live in times where our Instagram feed is looking a lot prettier than our actual life, which means vacation photographers are in high demand, so if you can – hire them in advance.

If you’re travelling, chances are, you already know what you’re going to do and what activities you have planned for which day. So, for instance, if you know that you will take a hike to the dormant Haleakala volcano on the fourth day, it would be best if you were to contact Maui photographers at least a week in advance and work out all the details.

5. Are Vacation Photographers Actually Worth It?

Well, to answer this question, we have to go over a few things.

First things first, these guys don’t just roll up with an iPhone and start snapping photos like most of us, no. Instead, they come equipped with professional gear and equipment, ready to take some magnificent photos.

Depending on what you’re going for, a vacation photographer could carry a heavy backpack, a couple of lenses, a couple of batteries, a light diffuser, stands and so on. Just think about it – if you were to take all this to a field trip to a local lake just to take some photos – you’d probably just give up and go back to your room and watch Netflix in bed, just like you do when you’re home.

Furthermore, these guys are locals. They know all the best spots to visit, and they know the best sites for taking photos. You don’t, but they do. You could be at the most beautiful place in the world, but if you don’t know where to stand to take a photo, nobody else will be able to enjoy it.

Finally, these guys speak the local language, so if you’re ever in need of a translator – they got you covered. Just don’t rely on them way too much. You are paying them to take photos of you, not talk for you. However, if you’re ever in need, they will most certainly come to your aid.

So, in conclusion – are they worth it?

We just have to say yes. If you’re already spending loads of money on vacation, what’s an extra hundred or two going to change? Hire a professional vacation photographer and have them take munificent photos of you so that you can cherish these memories for a long time and make some Instagram friends a little bit jealous along the way.

We hope you learned a thing or two. Take care.