Why a Professional? (or “Choosing THAT Photographer” cont.)

 

So, we talked about choosing a Photographer for your Big Day, but now I would like to touch upon WHY you really should hire a Professional Photographer to begin with.

A Wedding is a costly event. No matter how big or small and what the economy is doing a Wedding is not cheap and most of us have a budget.

So why allocate such a portion of that budget on a Professional Photographer? After all aunt Mary, cousin John, our friend Mike have “good” camera’s, why not use them?

Well, simply put, this is what we do Our profession is Photography, we live, eat, sleep and breath taking Photographs. Now this may not seem much in itself but experience counts.

When choosing your Photographer (as I wrote before) I suggest looking for certain things and asking certain questions. Also, with a Professional Wedding Photographer you need to make sure of some other points and check that some things are indeed correct. Getting back to the relative/friend who has a “good” camera. Does that friend not want to be part of the joy of your Wedding Day? Because as a Professional we are there for YOU! Not to participate and join in with your celebrations per se, but to capture them for your treasured memories! Also, we have more than just a “good” camera to use (and I strongly urge you to check this upon initial contact with the Photographers you interview) we have several. Camera’s, especially digital ones, are electronic and very complicated tools. We hate to think it but they can and do go wrong at times. With this possibility (however remote) we carry several camera’s to any event to ensure that in the unlikely event that something happens to one, we have plenty of backup. It would be terrible for the equipment to break down/malfunction and in so doing  loose all those precious moments. Most relatives/friends do not have or indeed want this burden, they may volunteer and be excited but do they really have the right tools to make sure it is done correctly? Let alone the experience.

Hmmm, experience you say, aren’t Weddings just like taking photographs of anything else? Basically NO! Wedding Photography is quiet specialised both in it’s work-flow and it’s specifics. For instance, many Churches do not allow flash Photography. Now does this negate capturing images of your actual ceremony? No it doesn’t, not for the Professional as we have the right equipment. We use the latest camera bodies that can capture photographs in very low light without a flash and use lenses that gather enough light to negate the need for a flash also. I have taken many photographs of services in Churches which do not allow flash but due to the Pro lenses I use and the spec. of my camera bodies it really is NO Problem!

Experience is also needed in when and what to do. This is YOUR happy day and I am sure you would appreciate things to be as effortless as possible. As professionals we know what to do and when to do it. When we need to be here and there and what positions to take to be able to capture that precious moment. Basically we take the stress of capturing those memories upon ourselves, allowing you to just enjoy your Wedding as you should.

Also, think about what happens after the Wedding. The software and skills to process and get your photographs ready is not a cheap or easy task either. It takes experience and investment to have the ability to deliver the finished images to you and allow you to have those treasured memories. So it’s really not just having a “good” camera. A top line computer and software is required as much as the camera equipment itself.

And, when the photographs are processed to your satisfaction, what about an Album or Printing? Professional Print Labs and Album companies do not deal with anyone other than a Professional with credentials. Really? yes really. So even if someone you know with a “good” camera were to take your photographs for you (maybe surmising you will help your budget) then what? You will have a tough time getting them presented in a Professional way to be able to keep and cherish for many years to come.

Basically a Professional is just that, Professional. We make our living doing this and have the experience, equipment and resources to provide you with the very best service we can and one that you deserve. Letting a friend/relative photograph your Wedding really is “false economy” most times, as although they may appear to have the right stuff and attitude, they really cannot even approach the level that  a Professional will bring to your Big Day!

So what have we learnt here?

1.Well, make sure that whomever you speak with/hire has redundancy in their equipment. That is they bring with them more than one camera and lenses that can do they job in any conditions.

2.Make sure they have the best computers for the task and latest software to be able to process the photographs taken.

3.And make sure they have the correct contacts to make sure your Photographs are printed Professionally and/or are presented in a Professional and Quality album (whether “coffee table style or mounted”).

You only do this once, it may seem a little costly at the beginning, but truly, these are memories you will want to cherish and by hiring a Professional you will have a wonderful way to keep that special day Forever