Its something I hear a lot, "Do I need a Professional Photographer? Uncle Bill has a camera, he could do it', 'Theres a guy I know who will shoot the wedding, he's not done one but says he will give it a go'...
So should you spend your hard earned money on a photographer when theres so many camera phones, uncles with cameras and part time half penny have a go amatuer photographers out there....
If you cut corners with the cake, hardly anybody will realize, nobody will remember, and even you will forget in a few weeks, but your wedding pictures are something you want to cherish forever. They are the only visual memory of your wedding.
“I cried, and cried, and cried. Almost a year later, my heart still breaks. As a blogger, I still cruise the wedding blogs looking for tips and inspiration. I see lots of the same DIY indie styles at the forefront of wedding trends. I see details similar to those I created for my wedding. The biggest difference: they are beautifully shot by a professional photographer, mine are not.”
This is a real quote from a bride who didn’t use a professional photographer for her wedding.
The wedding day is quite stressful, so you want the photographer to be an asset not a liability. You’ll want him to be able to capture all the perfect moments and memories without having to worry about him getting in the way or missing a photo op.
Weddings are very different from photo shoots in that they are a moving and dynamic event. It’s a little awkward to retake the “I do” moment multiple times, so you need a photographer that knows what is going on, what will happen next and how to capture those moments, while simultaneously taking into consideration things like light, speed, frame and colors.
Weddings have both posed moments as well as action shots. You need to capture both to truly get a feel for the wedding. Your photographer not only has to be a consultant when it comes to creating great, memorable poses, but he also has to have an artistic eye to capture the special dynamic moments. This skill set is something that comes from talent and experience.
There of course is nothing wrong or criminal about getting a friend, relative or amatuer to do the photography for your wedding, but just think about it for a moment and think about all the hard earned pennies your spending on table decorations, favours, or your hair and make up and I ask, how are you to remember these things if not for professional photos that take the care to capture all the detail of your amazing once in a lifetime wedding day.
The choice is yours of course, I simply ask that you dont put budget before memories..........
Andy