Photography is a demanding and expensive art, whether you are an amateur or professional. It requires a significant investment in equipment and related services. Hobbyists and even some serious amateurs can easily spend several hundred dollars on a midrange camera, which is generally more than sufficient for them to pursue their photography muse. Professionals, however, face fierce competition and must invest many thousands of dollars in high-end cameras and other equipment to meet the demands of their clients. Thus, unless you are an independently wealthy photographer and can afford to make costly purchasing mistakes, you should be very selective when choosing equipment manufacturers and supply vendors. The ideal situation is to find a local photography supplier offering a nice variety of name brand, quality merchandise at reasonable prices AND employing a knowledgeable and helpful sales staff. However, shops like these are in very short supply. Thus, many photographers are forced to look elsewhere for products and services. Knowing where to look is the challenge.

The key here is research. We live in the information age. Thanks to the Internet, we have instant access to volumes of data whenever we need it. Of course, we must exercise caution when utilizing the world-wide-web to avoid scams and deliberately proliferated misinformation designed to tempt unwary consumers. Fortunately, however, there are a number of reputable companies offering consumers a plethora of quality merchandise and secure purchasing options via an Internet storefront. Unfortunately, though, there are some rather large, well known Internet retailers and wholesalers seeking to take advantage of consumers by offering mediocre or, in some cases, very poor quality products at irresistible discount prices. With the advent of Internet auction websites, consumers are barraged with even more purchasing options and are sometimes sucked into bidding frenzies on initially low priced items offered by some of these, in my opinion, unscrupulous retail and wholesale companies. I have watched many of these auctions escalate to prices well beyond that of higher quality, name brand merchandise offered by legitimate photography suppliers. Sadly, however, it’s not always easy to differentiate between reputable suppliers and those with questionable business practices.

The best advice I can offer as a professional photographer and fairly savvy Internet shopper is to research a company thoroughly before making a purchase. Search for websites offering customers the opportunity to rate the products and services provided by a company. However, I must caution you that some companies will intentionally stack (allowing only high ratings and reviews to be submitted or appear on the website) their customer reviews and ratings to entice new customers to buy from them. I personally fell victim to one such company, so I speak from experience on this issue. So, be sure you refer to more than one source, preferably independent sources and not just the company’s own website for product and service ratings and reviews. Likewise, search for any complaints against the company and review them thoroughly. While no single company can please every customer every time, careful scrutiny of the complaints will often reveal distinct patterns of poor customer service, inferior quality of merchandise or unfair return policies and practices.

When considering making a purchase from any vendor, but especially from an Internet vendor, remember the old adage that if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Be particularly vigilant when buying from discount vendors. After all, what good is an inexpensive tripod or lighting kit when it fails to function properly or breaks after only a few uses. You will likely be angry and frustrated and have to spend yet more money to buy another product to serve your needs. In many cases, photographers are better off paying more, sometimes even twice as much, for higher quality, name brand products that may last a lifetime if properly maintained.

I often review the comments posted by fellow photographers on photography forums before making a purchase. There is usually no cost to join a forum, and you might be surprised by the information you find. Similarly, review the opinions of the experts in photography magazines and publications. If all else fails, refer to consumer advocate agencies like The Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission.

So, do yourself a valuable favor and take the time to meticulously research photography vendors before opening up your wallet. Make your purchases count. You’ll have far fewer regrets, which will certainly yield more enjoyable photographic endeavors.