Photography etiquette: sharing space with another photographer

Photographers, picture this: you meet a client at the local museum, which happens to be a hot spot for photo sessions. It’s a beautiful afternoon, so the area is pretty busy. You and your client arrive at your go-to photo location to find that it’s already been taken by another photographer! Unfortunately, when it comes to public locations like this, there are no reservations. It might be frustrating to run into this obstacle, but there are ways to get past it.

Pre-plan with your client to have backup locations

The first step is to have a contingency plan. If you know there’s a good chance other photographers might have sessions scheduled at the same place and time, try to find some backup locations. Talk to your client to get an idea of the vibe they’re looking for. For example, if they want a woodsy vibe, see if there are any other public parks you can check out that might be less crowded. The client might be dead set on wanting photos in that particular location, but that’s fine too! There are still ways to make it work.

Pick a location with more than one photo-ready spot

If your session is at a park or museum, chances are there might be more than one good place for photos. You can explore the area a bit and get some shots at another spot. By the time you finish those, you might be able to circle back to the spot you wanted. Photo sessions aren’t unlimited, so you want to use the time wisely rather than waiting for the spot to open up.

Communicate with the other photographer

Don’t be afraid to communicate with the other photographer! Approach them politely, without too big of an interruption, and ask how long they’ll be. You might find that they’re only a few minutes from finishing up. Plus, when you communicate, you might even make some new photographer friends. It’s always good to make contacts, especially if you both like to photograph at the same locations.

Stay calm and don’t get frustrated

Above all else, stay calm and professional. Your client can pick up on your energy, and the last thing you want to do is make them unhappy. Just keep up the communication, especially if you think it’s a good idea to move to a less crowded location. Make the most out of the situation in any way possible!

Contact October Dreams Photography for more etiquette tips.