Picture Perfect

Naturally, once you find good photographers, build the relationship. That's the approach Paul Fredrick MenStyle's Creative Director Jill Smith has taken. She believes in developing solid relationships with photographers whose technical skills — and people skills — facilitate the photography process.

"I look for high-quality work, generally with apparel, specifically men's," she explains, outlining her recruiting methods. "I also work with and know a lot of people in the business, so word of mouth is everything. Finally, they must be easy to work with — I don't think difficult photographers can survive in this business anymore. There are too many good ones."

Smith prefers shooting film, and notes that all associated costs should be determined from the outset. "Ask for a quote including equipment, lighting, assistants and so on," she advises. "If you're shooting film, make sure you work out the logistics and pricing of how and by whom the film will be processed. If you need scout days, negotiate the rate on the front end."

Know the Process

Some companies believe that the process of photography is somehow quicker than it used to be, or easier than it used to be, Carter points out. "They might not understand how much goes into taking a professional shot," he says. "It can take hours to get a shot perfect, and that's one of the misconceptions that many people have. They might come in with a list of 20 shots that they think can be done in a day, and realistically, we can only do five of them."

Catalogers can overcome potential miscommunication by providing photographers with "swipes" — clippings from other catalogs that help to communicate the desired result. "If Tiffany is doing a photo shoot," Shasho-Jones says, "it would pull swipes from a magazine of what it wants to accomplish in the catalog." Such swipes show surfaces, propping, lighting, backgrounds and angles.