Commissioning guide

Imperial War Museum North at dusk, Salford Quays, Manchester, with the Manchester Ship Canal in the foreground - architectural photography.
Before commissioning a commercial photographer it is important to consider the requirements of the job as, good planning is key to successful photography. The exact requirements of the job will vary, for example the planning of a product or portrait photography shoot is much different from an architectural photography shoot. I consult with you in detail at the brief stage, however when looking to comission, a client should as a minimum consider the following:
  • What is the subject and where is it located?
  • Can the photographer carry out the assignment in studio or does it to be performed on location?
  • What is the photography to be used for and how large does it have to be printed?
  • How extensive is the distribution of the photography to be?
  • What is the timescale (are there any deadlines to be met and are these realistic)?
  • What output is needed? Will the photographer have to do extensive levels of digital post processing on the images?
  • Will models be needed?
  • Do we need to obtain permission from any third parties? Will model or property releases be required?
  • In most cases architectural and commercial photographers supply images under licence as this proves the most economical for clients. If you require copyright, this will be sold separately for an addittional fee.
The above points are general guidelines and I as photographer, will go through planning in more detail prior to the commencement of any assignment. The most important thing is to have a clear idea of what it is that you need and any logistical issues that may need to be cleared, before commencement of the assignment. The aim is to make things run as smoothly as possible.

For addittional background I have attached some links with useful information relating to commissioning architectural and commercial photographers:

Architectural photographers commissioning guidelines

Guidelines for clients on commissioning commercial photographers and copyright

Further reference on photographic copyright

The above organisations provide a good idea of what clients should expect when looking for best practice within the photography industry.