Happy Wedding Wednesday!
Why Hire a Wedding Professional?
Continuing our series on “Why is Hiring a Wedding Photographer is Hard?” are next topic is “Why hiring a professional over a family or friend who can do it for free or cheap?” A Fine Art Wedding Photographer can assure your day runs smoothly.
A PROFESSIONAL IS COMMITTED TO YOU
Hiring a professional wedding photographer guaranteed that they will show up on your big day. I’ve had several previous brides hire their friends or family member to take their wedding photography, only to disappear minutes before the wedding is about to start.
PROFESSIONAL HAS EXPERIENCE
Wedding Photography is not for the faint-hearted. Hiring a professional will most definitely help your overall stress levels before, during, and after your beautiful wedding day. A professional wedding photographer will take out all the guesswork for you while planning your wedding day. During your wedding day, the last thing you want to do is telling your friend or family member what they are supposed to be doing!
INTIMATE MOMENTS
Moments like getting dressed, stealing a kiss alone with your groom, etc that a photographer can capture. Are you really going to feel comfortable to be yourself if you use a family member or friend as your photographer? You would not hire a friend who is also a doctor; you want that detachment and separation make it easier to shed your insecurities. For example, when I schedule an engagement session, I ask that the couple doesn’t bring anyone with them.
EXCELLENT RESULTS FROM A PROFESSIONAL
You have heard the statement. You get what you PAY for! Hiring a professional will ensure that you will get amazing images that allow you to live thru your wedding day, again and again. Having someone who does weddings for a living will certainly give you the best overall outcome. Paying for a service makes SUCH a huge difference, even though it may not always be the most ideal option to spend money. Plus, a professional always has a contract, so they are obligated to provide with the highest results.
LACK OF PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT
Everyone nowadays has a nice camera with all sorts of fancy lenses. However, do they have backup power, batteries, and SD cards necessary to shoot an all day event like a wedding? Many churches, venues have terrible lighting, do they have flash and understand how to use flash on and off the camera?
AWKWARD NEGOTIATIONS
Putting family members together for a picture can be… difficult, delicate, etc. Professional photographers are in charge, which means they have to help step-parents not feel awkward, convince a sky flower girl to smile, and help everyone feel comfortable. A professional photographer will not be intimidated in the slightest; however, a friend or family member might be.
NO STRAINING YOUR RELATIONSHIP
When working with a professional, you will build a relationship with them. Almost always, when hiring a family or friend, the relationship will strain in some way or form. Sometimes holding a grudge against you for making them work for free or less than what they are worth, or you are not happy with your images, and you are unable to tell them. Not worth ruining your relationship.
WILLINGNESS TO BE DETACHED
One person can’t be in the event and capture at the same time. Family or Friend hired to be a vendor, can be tempted for them to get drawn into the festivities. One of my previous brides hired me as their exclusive wedding photographer but asked if I would be okay with having their friend be a second shooter on their big day. Long story, short… he had no clue what he was doing, tried to take over the wedding, as his own, got drunk during the reception, and showed up in jean shorts and a muscle shirt. When you hire a professional, there is no risk of other guests greeting them like friends, because the guests don’t know the professional you hired at all.
RELATIONSHIP WITH A PHOTO LAB
Professional wedding photographer’s work is just beginning when your wedding is over. Are you prepared to have to do all you own printing, ordering, and arranging of your wedding album? Family or friend might be an excellent photographer but probably won’t have the connections with a professional printing lab.
INVISIBILITY
Photographers know how to capture a scene without detracting from the moment. However, high-pressure moment, like when the bride is walking down the aisle. All eyes are on her, and realistically, the photographer needs to get in the middle of it to capture the moment, without being seen. Friends and family won’t be able to do this because just they are known.
Photos by Stephanie is a boutique fine art wedding photographer specializing in the {Capture} raw emotion between soulmates on their journey of love. I love to work with couples who are trying to keep their wedding budgets reasonable … after all, we all know the most important part of getting married is forever with your soulmate.