Monday 13 February 2012

Who Needs a Wedding Photographer Anyway?!


These are austere times, there is no denying that. We all need to be very careful about where we spend our money, and brides-to-be are no exception.

It can be very easy to think about cutting a corner here, and shaving a cost there, but if you're not careful you run the risk of jeopardising the memories of the day you're working so hard to create.

You could probably reduce costs on your cake, your invites and even your wedding favours, and no-one would notice. But if you scrimp on your photographer, and use someone who is not up to the job, would anyone notice? ABSOLUTELY!

You may have seen some of Uncle Bob's photos, and may think that he knows one end of an f-stop from the other, but it's simply not just down to being proficient with a camera. Wedding photography is one of the most varied and fast moving photography assignments out there - you have to be able to deal with changing lighting, changing locations, changing weather, organising lots of people, subjects who might rather be at the bar, and the frequently delicate family relationships that can bubble over after a few glasses of Buck's Fizz.

So, before you decide to let Uncle Bob loose on your wedding with his camera, ask yourself these questions...
  • Will he be there from the start, and will he stay until the end?
  • Will he stick to the task, rather than getting bored and disappearing off to the bar?
  • Will he be able to organise the formal groups quickly and effiently?
  • Does he know where to stand and when?
  • Does he have professional camera equipment, and does he know how to use it? 
  • Does he have professional editing software?
  • Does he have a backup camera? Lenses? Flashes? Batteries?
  • Does he have enough memory cards?
  • Does he have insurance?
  • Does he have a watertight image backup policy?
  • Can he design an album? 
  • Does he have access to suppliers that are trade-only?
  • Will you feel comfortable telling him what you want?
  • Do you know his style, and do you like it?
  • Will he deliver your images quickly, rather than leaving you to wait months, or even years before he gets round to it?
  • Will he even bother editing your photos at all?
If you can truthfully answer 'yes' to all of these things, chances are Uncle Bob is a pro wedding photographer anyway, so go for it!

If you answer 'no' to any, ask yourself what happens when one of the above goes wrong. Is it worth it? Your fee to a professional photographer is like an insurance policy against terrible amateurish photography, or in some cases, no photography at all. A professional knows that wedding photography is about much more than just the photography itself.

Chances are you may know someone who has unfortunately had sub-par wedding photography simply because they took a chance on family members taking their pictures for them... ask them if they think it's worth taking a chance on.


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Chris at Keep Shooting Photography
0845 5195750

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