5 Reasons Why You Should Hire A Professional Wedding Photographer

If you can afford a professional wedding photographer, DO IT! I cannot stress this enough. A common option to this is hiring a photographer for the minimum amount of time they are available. This usually means just the ceremony and athe formal photos right after. However if you are wanting the your whole event then let me explain to you right now that this entails a TON of work. A whole wedding (for me) consists of 5,000+ images I have to go through. Now, thankfully I know my camera well enough I can usually get my photos right in camera and then do touch-ups through Photoshop. When it comes to planning your dream wedding and you start tallying up all the costs involved for all the different things it is understandable to start looking at cutting costs but if you are thinking about not hiring one just to save you money, let me tell you why you shouldn't.

1. There is so much more to photography than an expensive camera.

It's like giving a tattoo artist a tattoo gun, or a carpenter uses a hammer, these are just tools. It's how the person that uses it that produces amazing creations. Just because someone has the equipment doesn't mean they know how to use it. You wouldn't expect your two year old to know how to cook lasagna, would you? You want to look for someone with experience and a lot of happy and satisfied clients who would recommend them. You shouldn't use a family member or a friend to capture your special day. You want someone who knows how to use the camera, someone who knows how to use it manually especially, someone who has experience using it in different lighting situations, conditions, and composing different shots and executing it perfectly. No camera does this. You might think it does but it won't. With experience you get consistency. Not just a few photos but a whole albums worth....

2. Feeling at ease.

I'm sure you are already stressing out just thinking about your big day. Just know that choosing to go with a pro will guarantee you the best. Just be sure to check out their profile and previous portraits they have done to make sure it is your style. It's the same thing as getting a tattoo. You wouldn't want an amature working permanently onto your body so why would you want one doing the same to such sensitive moments in your beautiful milestone? A pro will make you feel comfortable, not stress you out more. They are natural, not stiff and awkward. This is your big day we are talking about so feeling comfortable will help you relax and let you enjoy your day. This comes from experience through years and many long hours in working with people and getting to know all types of personalities. You shouldn't be worrying or stressing. If you feel at ease then this will show in your wedding photos. On top of all that, if you choose a friend or family member, chances are they feel a little too comfortable with you and can make you feel uncomfortable at times. You don't need that on your wedding day! Hiring a professional, I guarantee you they will talk to you WAY before hand to get to know your dislikes and likes to know how you want your photos taken. A friend or family member might cross those boundaries.

3. The big WHAT IF.....

What is your photographer falls ill? Well i'm here to tell you that chances are they have a Plan B. They know other photographers and have them on call to be sure you have it all captured. They will not leave you hanging. They have backups. An amateur may not have that Plan B and may not be able to back everything up. With a professional you should guarantee at least two photographers for your wedding no matter the size.

4. An amateur means more work for you.

A professional photog will have years of experience capturing weddings. They will know those special shots to take. They have a guide in the back of their head to be sure they don't miss a thing. They have done this before and know how and when to take the right shots at just the right time.They can be left to go on with their job without direction and have the confidence knowing they will be where you want them to be. They can also anticipate what will happen next and know the flow of the day. They will have already found the perfect place for the cute bride and groom shots and know how to manage the time so you won't be slowed down on you big day. They know the ideal locations at the venue you choose and already know the perfect backdrop to make your photos pop. It is a dynamic event with only one chance to capture those moments.

5. You actually want your friend or family member to attend the wedding.

I can't stress this one enough... I have seen a friend of the bride trying to be the photographer while trying to attend the wedding and trust me it is not pretty. The girl ended up distracted by people who knew her and she misses out on so many chances for great photos and the bride pretty much chased her friend down the entire time looking for her. Don't be this bride... This made everyone stressed and awkward. I guarantee they didn't get many good photos, if not any at all... I have also seen where a sister of the groom was trying to do the photos and she ended up drunk halfway through the ceremony. Leave it to a pro ya'll! You can guarantee that a professional photographer won't be drinking while at work. They want to maintain their relationship with that client and not potentially ruin their career.

And since there are so many reasons to hire a pro, I'll go ahead and give you one more.

6. You only have one chance.

This is your wedding day and hopefully you will only be having one special day. You only have one chance to capture it so please make sure that you can trust and have confidence in your photographer. When your day is over, the only thing you have to really look back on are the photos. These photos you will treasure for generations to come. These portraits you will be showing your children, grandchildren, great grandkids. What ever you decide to do just make sure that you know how important photography really is on your wedding day. Choose a pro so you don't have to look back on an album wishing you knew how important photography is and how you wish you'd have spent a bit more and hired a professional.