How to Hire a Professional Photographer for Your Pressure Washing Website

When a potential customer clicks on your website for the first time, you have about three seconds to make an impression. A stunning photo can capture attention and project an aura of quality and professionalism before a visitor ever reads a word of text. A poor-quality snapshot can send a very different message. Hire a professional photographer to get stunning shots that will separate your website from your competitors.

It is not about the gear.

Anyone can buy a pressure washer. Not everyone has enough experience to know that pressure washing an asphalt shingle roof with a zero-degree tip is a bad idea. When you hire a professional photographer, you are paying for experience. Professional photographers are experts at crafting and capturing light. When that expertise is paired with the right gear for the job, they can produce photos that will outshine anything you can do with your camera.

Make sure you hire a professional photographer with the right experience.

Pressure washing contractors usually specialize in a particular area, and professional photographers are very similar. Your company may do concrete cleaning or kitchen exhaust cleaning. You may do both, but most people have an area of focus. You need to hire a professional photographer that has experience shooting action. Ask to see a portfolio. They should be able to produce one like a magician pulling a rabbit from hat. Make sure that it has plenty of action shots. Examples might be marathon runners, dance competitions, or factory workers. If they show you a book full of still life or studio portraits, you should move on.

Find a location.

Make sure that you have written consent from your client to photograph their location, and make sure you have written consent to publish the photographs. Many photographers will charge a retainer for the time that they spend on a location shoot. If you show up unannounced and the property owner refuses to let you photograph, you will probably still have to pay for the photographer’s time.

You should discuss how you intend to use the photographs before the job begins.

Copyright laws can be confusing when it comes to digital files. Put simply, you do not own the photographs just because you have a digital file sitting on your hard drive. When you hire a professional photographer, they will probably have licensing information in their contract. Some photographers have no problem providing digital files for you to use wherever and however you like. Other photographers choose not to sell digital files over a certain resolution. Lots of photographers write contracts that give you the right to use a photograph in a specific place for a specified time span. Avoid surprises and get all of the details in writing before the project begins.

Pressure washing might not be a typical gig for the photographer.

Not everyone is willing or able to climb on rooftops, or crawl into a kitchen exhaust duct. Take plenty of time to walk through the job with your photographer before you begin. Let them know what kinds of chemical you will use. Tell them that debris might be flying and you will provide all necessary OSHA approved safety equipment. Be sure to discuss any dangerous activities such as climbing or riding in a bucket lift. Anything you can do to help them prepare will be appreciated.

Find pictures that you like.

You may have a shot that you snapped with a smartphone that you would like to recreate, or another pressure washing website may have a beautiful shot that you want to imitate. If you have a specific shot that you want to see, you should show it to your photographer. This will help them get a better idea of what you expect to see when the job is finished.

Plan extra time for photos.

Not every picture can be done on the fly. A professional photographer may want to pose you in order to get the perfect shot. You should be prepared for this when you hire a professional photographer. Make sure you have plenty of time before your next job.

Photoshop is not a magic wand.

Professional photographers will almost certainly use post processing software such as Photoshop to enhance colors, textures, shadows and highlights before they show photos to a client. Additional changes will probably cost extra. Photoshop can be used to remove logos, add clouds to the sky, and even make you look thinner! But all of these things take time. If you want extra enhancements, you should make sure your photographer knows what you expect to see before the job begins.

Never hire the lowest bidder.

Pressure washers hate the guy that drives around town and underbids them on every job. You know the one. The guy with the yard signs that say “Any House – Any Size JUST $79”. That sort of thing exists in the photography world as well. Anyone with a camera can call himself or herself a photographer. Use this article as a guide to hire a PROFESSIONAL photographer. Remember that you are paying for experience, and the little extra expense will pay off in the end.