Design. Can you do it yourself?

Design. Can you do it yourself?

Is it always best to try and do the design work yourself? A while ago I attended a business expo and among the exhibitors was a local photographer offering portraits for use on social media profiles and design material.

It got me thinking for a while. “Why should I pay someone to take my photograph when after all I have a digital camera and a decent camera on my iPhone – why don’t I just do it myself?”

I thought about it for a few minutes and then it occurred to me. How would I feel if our design clients all went the D.I.Y route? After all I’m sure they all have a computer or tablet and access to basic page layout software, but that’s where the similarity ends.

“I usually get up at about 5:30, and I’m ready to have coffee by 6, usually with my husband. He goes off to his work around 6:30, and I go off to mine.

I keep a hotel room in which I do my work—a tiny, mean room with just a bed, and sometimes, if I can find it, a face basin. I keep a dictionary, a Bible, a deck of cards and a bottle of sherry in the room. I try to get there around 7, and I work until 2 in the afternoon.”

Maya Angelou

“The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. An amateur has amateur habits. A professional has professional habits. We can never free ourselves from habit. But we can replace bad habits with good ones.”

Steven Pressfield

It’s not just having the equipment to do the job, it’s the years of training and experience that gives the photographer or us as a designers, the knowledge to do the job professionally and cost-effectively ensuring the end result represents you or your brand in the best possible light.

As the old adage says “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, just consider how much it costs to hire an amateur?”

Needless to say I decided to have my photo taken by a professional photographer. The studio was set up in a village hall with excellent lighting, the photographer was very good at putting me at ease and making me smile. You really can’t have that kind of experience when you take a selfie I don’t think.

A few days later the proofs arrived and I must say how pleased I was with the end result. 

You can see my new picture on my LinkedIn profile page and across all of my social media accounts.