Why hire a professional photographer

Budget conscious couples often opt to have a family member or an amateur photographer document their wedding. With the abundance of good cameras on the market these days many are calling themselves photographers. Barnes and Nobel is full of “become a photographer” books. Most of the time these people have another job and don’t have the time to really learn to use their equipment and polish their skills. They play it safe and usually use their gear in automatic mode. The result is not much different then a point and shoot picture. Sure they got the picture but “deer in headlights” or “flash not flashing” is not what the couple had in mind for her wedding memories. In auto mode the camera decides everything for you. The camera does not know the bride and groom or what their vision for their wedding is. It just picks based on a generic algorithm. Anyone can take a picture. A professional creates a photograph.

Taken with my iPhone

In the hands of a professional photographer a point and shoot or even an iPhone camera can create amazing results. This is because the equipment is secondary to the skill and vision of the photographer. As a professional photographer I purchase the best equipment available. A typical lens in my gear bag runs $1,900.00. Your average consumer lens is about $250.00. The difference comes from the ability of the lens to deliver flawless images in poorly lit rooms or in harsh sunlight. Couple the technical ability of the photographer with that of the gear and you have memories that were perfectly captured for the rest of your life. No “oops” I did not get that shot! 

I realize that a wedding budget gets stretched from all directions. Keep in mind that after the wedding the flower arrangement goes bad, the food and cake gets eaten, the DJ goes home and the venue is rented by someone else. Aside from the rings all that remains is perhaps the dress (if it was not rented) and the photographic images of the day. Despite this, many couples choose to budget very little towards the one thing that can bring the day back to them to relive over and over.

Window light on wedding gown.

A professional wedding photographer should know how to tell a story through pictures. Capturing details that bring the flavor and feel of the event. You want the people who couldn’t make the wedding to be able to look at the photographs and to be able to get a mood and feel of how the whole day actually went. A professional wedding photographer knows how to capture every single moment of your wedding in all its glory. They can give your photographs a polished look, rather than a simple point and shoot effect. They can suggest some unique ways to photograph your wedding. For example they will assess the location and suggest good areas in which to take the photographs so that the scenery will enhance the images.

 A professional photographer will offer different ideas on how your final images can be presented in a way that is unique to you, so they don’t just become another set of photographs tucked away in a drawer. 

I would love to be the photographer you choose for your most precious day. You may reach me through my web site or at 305-457-3100.