Hiring Someone for your Art Portfolio Website Photography

As an artist in 2020 your online portfolio is a really strong representation of who you are. It depicts your specialty, your brand, your personality, and what you stand for. But how can you best articulate that? You have to have very good imagery. What makes good imagery? A great photographer.

Who Do You Hire as a Photographer for an Art Photoshoot?

Luckily, in my world, I know a few people who know how to use a camera. In my recent photoshoot, my friend Van who I’ve known since 2015, started his own company called Ware the Heart is Photography. (His last name is Ware, how presh). I had been seeing endless photoshoots on his Instagram where I was always so impressed with how he could capture moments and emotions.

I reached out saying I need some new pictures and he was like, “Yeah! Let’s do a branding session!” Now, the benefit of already knowing the person you’re hiring is they already know who you are as a person. I did not have to show him or explain any of that part of me. If you hire a stranger, be prepared to allow them to “stalk” you on all of your social platforms, let them read your website, blog, diary, anything.

The Difference Between an OK Photographer and an Amazing Photographer

I believe the difference between a photographer and a great photographer is their ability to see a room or space and know what they need to do to it with little direction and they are awesome at thinking on their feet. I had not told Van anything before he came, we only knew the shoot would take place in my studio (which, y’all, if you didn’t know, it’s actually the living room to my apartment – one day I am going to make it in this world and have a legit space).

A Photoshoot with Kimmie Designs 

I met him outside to let him in and he asked, “Ok, so what are we going to do today?” To which I replied, “I don’t know, you’re the artist, I trust you.” He did not skip a beat, in fact, I think he got happier. He took one look around my apartment (which I swear is the size of a matchbox), assessed the lighting, asked me about every painting on the wall, and then found my ladder. At that point he put me to work. We had to move my giant bean bag out (that’s a story for another day, regretful purchases), take the plants off my ceiling, rearrange the “clutter” he called it, and then we were ready!

Van was awesome at giving direction that made sense. He made it fun, easy, and he made sure what was important to me and who I am as a person was included in the shots.

What to Wear to an Artist Photoshoot

This is sincerely up to your own discretion. I encourage you to choose an outfit that you love, something you feel like 100 bucks in, you want to feel confident and it will exude onto the photos!

For me, I am not an “artsy fartsy” artist. I am NOT knocking anyone who is this way, cuz y’all are cute AF, it’s just not who I am. I do not wear overalls or even aprons when painting. I do not wear bandanas. I do not wear mismatched patterns and crazy colors mashed together. A mistake I could have made would be to wear it anyway to try to fit the mold.

So I chose my favorite new yellow sundress. The only other time I wore it was to my fancy birthday dinner. It’s simple, yet sophisticated, and I knew the solid color would work well with my paintings behind me. I decided to stay barefoot because that’s how I am in my home. In fact, if Texas wasn’t infested with fire ants I would also walk outside barefoot as well.

How to Do Your Hair, Jewelry, and Makeup for an Art Photoshoot

For jewelry I chose simple, yet again, teal earrings. This was entirely to represent the Kimmie Designs teal color. 

My makeup was, you guessed it, simple. I didn’t wear lipstick because I never do. And my hair? Do I even need to say it? SIMPLE.

If there is one thing that runs in my head over and over from what my mother taught me, is in photographs, you want to aim for a look that is timeless. Gosh we got in the BIGGEST fight over my senior portraits. I wanted to wear some Hollister shirt or whatever it was and she insisted I wear a plain, brown, wool sweater. However, that freaking picture still looks so darn good to this day and I am not at all embarrassed thinking, ‘oh my gosh how did I ever wear something like that?’ which is the common thought we all think of when we open old photo albums.

Is Good Photography Worth the Investment?

100% yes. In this day in age, you have to allow your website to speak for you when you aren’t there in a storefront. As great as phone cameras can be, usually they just cannot cut it in comparison to other big shot, professional artists, you are technically competing with in the online space. Suck it up and pay your photographer’s fee, guess what, they are an artist too and this is how they make money. I charged it to the company credit card and called it a day. (Don’t go too crazy, I do not want my next blog to be about financial management – although that would be a really great topic).

Have you hired a photographer before? What was your experience like? Share with us in the comments! If you saw anything in the photos that piqued your interest, click the cute Texas map to be taken to my products page!