One of the first questions to ask a product photographer is the extent of their experience. Ask who they’ve worked with, including specific industries and clients. If they don’t have extensive commercial photography experience, consider whether they have a high quality of work.

This will help you assess the quality of the images you’ll receive. In addition to a professional camera and appropriate lenses, does the photographer have lighting equipment and a lightbox that fits your products, or another type of backdrop?

Some photographers charge by the hour; others, by the day, the project, or the number of photos you end up using. If they charge by the day or hour, find out how long post-production will take.

This is one of the most crucial product photographer interview questions. Here are examples of what the photographer’s fee could include:

• Consulting about the photo session
• Travel to your location
• Styling of the products
• Conducting the photo session
• Retouching images
• Handling color correction
• Additional editing or compositing
• Reviewing the results with you
• Delivery of the final images

Find out which of these tasks are covered by the fee—and how many photos you’ll receive.

To hire a product photographer with the right skill set, ask for work samples. A good photographer will have a robust portfolio. Note your reaction to these images—do they grab your attention and highlight what’s unique about the product? Or are they lackluster and generic? Consider whether their style fits your brand, too.

Find out if the photographer will travel to you, if desired. Or, does the photographer have a studio? Make sure the photo session can happen at a convenient location that will produce your desired results.

Ask what form they’ll deliver the images in, such as sending digital files or a link to an online gallery. Find out what resolution they’ll have or if you’ll receive images with different resolutions for different uses, too.

Consider your desired turnaround timeframe. Can the photographer meet it? You don’t want to delay a product launch because a photographer is taking too long.

Find out if the photographer will have backups for onsite equipment, or a backup assistant they can call on. And of course, how do they back up photos? Find out if they’ll maintain these backups for a set period of time after delivering the photos.

Photographers typically maintain their copyright to the photos they take. However, you can gain the right to use them for specific purposes. Discuss how you plan to use the photos so you can reach an appropriate agreement.

The last thing you want is to incur legal issues if something goes wrong. If, for example, the camera breaks on location, you don’t want to be liable. A professional photographer should have insurance that covers personal injury for themselves and any staff, along with damage to their property.

Find out if the photographer needs more information from you. Do they want details about your product, your target buyer, or the type of image you want? This question will foster strong communication—and tell you a lot about the photographer’s approach to their work.