8 Photographer Interview Questions To Ask Your Next Candidate
By Ad Culture Admin Nothing elevates your brand’s online presence more than professionally taken photos. These indispensable assets could speak to your audience and set you apart from your rivals on social media.
But how do you pick the right photographer that can capture your brand’s personality? By asking the right questions—which we’ve got right here!
Ask these photographer interview questions and find who suits your brand before signing a contract. Remember this list for the next stage of your recruitment process to ensure you’re onboarding a rockstar! To help you even more in this process, we have touched upon photographer interview questions and answers to help you understand what to look for in a candidate!
1. Can You Run Us Through Your Experience With Different Camera Systems?
More than basic equipment requirements, you want your professional photographer to be knowledgeable in advanced camera systems. This shows the level of technical skills and quality you can expect from them.
Different camera systems have unique features and functions that can greatly impact a shot. So, make sure to follow up on this question by asking how they decide which camera setting or equipment to use and why.
2. What Kind of Editing Software Do You Use for Finished Photos?
This question gives you an insight into their creative process beyond the camera shooting. You’d want to assess their proficiency in using post-processing software and other editing tools, such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom. This also helps you get an insight into whether they are keeping up with the latest tools and technology.
If your brand prefers to use specific software, make sure to ask if the photographer is familiar with it or if they are willing to learn to use it.
Image source: Canva
3. How Do You Apply Photography Composition Principles?
Taking a photo is more than just focusing on the subject and clicking the shutter button. It requires various composition techniques to arrange certain elements within a photograph in a way that makes the entire photo more visually appealing.
Asking this question lets you know about the candidate’s knowledge of camera settings and creative vision, and how well they apply lighting techniques.
This could also be a good opportunity to ask them if they’re aware of any photography trends they’d like to use for your brand. Above all else, make sure there’s clear reasoning behind their answers as well.
4. How Would You Handle a Client That’s Unhappy With Your Photos?
Situational interview questions for photographers give you a closer look into the candidate’s conflict resolution and problem-solving skills especially with a client. Asking these questions reveals how they handle tough clients and curveballs thrown their way. Do they handle feedback with grace or insist on their professional artistic opinion? How do they learn from past mistakes?
You could ask them to share a specific incident where they had to adapt quickly to unforeseen circumstances or how they were able to work with a difficult client. This also gives you a clear understanding of their interpersonal skills and past client relationships.
5. Have You Had Any Formal Training?
Formal training equates to technical knowledge and industry experience—important aspects in any industry, more so in commercial photography. These are great assets to have that could mean a good work ethic and short learning curves, if any.
Image source: Canva
Take note if they mention any sort of formal training, have had experience working in a studio or any other professional setting, or if they’ve undergone a certification process. These technical aspects are signs that the candidate invests in their own learning and growth.
6. How Well Do You Understand Copyright Laws?
Among this list of photographer interview questions, discussing copyright laws may be the most important. A photographer who knows the legalities when it comes to copyright claims can help you avoid complications in the future. The candidate can likely protect you and your brand from copyright infringement, which could hurt your business significantly.
A good answer to this would be if the candidate knows copyright laws and communicates any infringement risks with the client.
7. What Do You Enjoy Focusing on While Taking Photos?
From landscape and portrait photography to food and street photography, a professional photographer likely has a favourite “muse” they like to capture. Asking this lets you assess the candidate’s thought process when taking pictures and gives you a sense of their artistic vision.
While there’s no right or wrong answer here, what they share could give you a good idea of their artistic vision and if it matches your company’s branding.
8. How Do You Manage Your Time to Consistently Meet Deadlines?
Much like project managers, professional photographers also handle multiple projects regularly. That’s why it’s good to ask how the candidate ensures all their responsibilities are met at the right time.
An excellent candidate would explain how they organize their workflow and schedule, how they communicate these to their clients, and how they prioritize their tasks. Make sure to ask for specific examples of how they managed to juggle multiple clients as well.
Image source: Canva
Are You Ready to Meet Your Future Photographer?
There you have it: our top eight interview questions for photographers. While asking these in your interviews should help you narrow your choices based on the candidate’s experience and technical expertise, this is still not a comprehensive list.
Skip the hassle of finding the right photographer interview questions and enlist the help of a leading recruitment agency instead—our team at Ad Culture is ready to assist you!
We’ll jot down your unique requirements, and match you with the candidate who’s the perfect fit for the job.
Start looking for extraordinary talent and contact us today!
