Jason Randazzo, a Google-certified professional photographer in Los Angeles, encouraged individuals to hire professional photographers for events and other occasions rather than taking pictures themselves on their iPhones during a recent appearance on KHTS AM-1220.

“It’s finding someone that can find the beauty in you and whatever it is. It can be people, places, things — it doesn’t matter,” explained Randazzo. “It’s having someone there to guide you along and help you, and exploit the strengths out of whatever you are photographing.”

A medical business still photo taken by Jason Randazzo.

Having been a professional photographer for 16 years, Randazzo considers himself lucky to have started his career when cameras still required film, and recalls the days he would spend in a darkroom, noting pictures taken on smartphone cameras just can’t compare.

“Everyone has a smartphone, but when it comes to really presenting yourself — like on Google, which I do a lot of photography for them — you do not want to be messing around with amatuer-looking cellphone pictures,” he said.

In the past, Randazzo’s main focus has been on photographing people, but in recent years, he has shifted more towards photographing businesses.

“I have quite a lot of experience photographing people, and I’ve done a lot of different ad campaigns over the years,” he said. “I would say the last five years I have really been focusing on photographing businesses and real estate (and) commercial architecture photography.”

Through his relationship with Google, and being a Google-certified photographer, businesses hire him to do what is called “360 Photography,” providing a virtual tour of the business online.

“It’s kind of like street view, basically, but Google is taking it a step further and actually going inside of businesses,” said Randazzo. “If you are thinking of going to a restaurant, you can Google it and walk inside and get that 360 immersive experience.”

Randazzo describes becoming certified by Google to do these 360 business photoshoots as a highly technical process, having been a part of the program since its inception, with the requirements having to do with the type of equipment used.

“It’s challenging (and) you … have to have specific gear and equipment to do it,” said Randazzo. “I’ve been doing it for about five years when the program (first) started.”

Jason Randazzo

Dazzo Photo

(310) 228-8757

dazzophoto@gmail.com