Asking a friend or family member to photograph your wedding day may help you cut costs, but Bhria Vellnagel explains why hiring an experienced professional is a must.

After the celebrations have concluded, your wedding photographs will provide you with the perfect way to reminisce about your special day. However, the average wedding can be quite pricey, which is why some couples would rather not hire a professional wedding photographer. Leaving the special moments of your wedding to be captured by someone without experience can often result in blurred, low-quality images. Although the price of hiring a wedding photographer may seem extravagant at first, it’s worth remembering that you’re paying for far more than just photos.

Hot Shot

Hiring an inexperienced photographer can cause many issues on the day, as very few understand how the process works and how much time they have between shots. These photographers will often charge a large sum, but won’t have the skills to operate seamlessly on your wedding day. It’s best for couples to spend a little more on their wedding photography for peace of mind that everything will run smoothly.

Instead of choosing a company based on price, browse through a number of well-known wedding photographers’ portfolios. This will give you a sense of their experience in the industry, as well as a chance to look at their previous work.

Many photographers will create their own techniques and find their style over time. For the best results, it’s important to choose a photographer whose style

matches yours as a couple. By allowing your chosen photographer to take artistic reign, you’ll end up with great results. If you find a photographer whose price exceeds your budget, contact them to discuss a lower fee. Many will offer customisable packages to suit your needs, such as a per-hour price or a cheaper, digital-only package.

Behind The Lens

When hiring a professional photographer for your wedding, you can rest assured that every special moment will be captured. With the experience of photographing a number of weddings under their belt, a professional will also know what time is best to take group, staged and candid shots. There are a number of important things a photographer should do on the day that someone with less experience may not be aware of.

A professional photographer also has the ability to change settings on a camera according to what or whom they’re shooting, such as aperture, shutter-speed and focus. Digital cameras will automatically adjust to these settings, which can result in unfocused images. Similarly, bright background lighting, such as a romantic sunset, cannot be clearly captured with a digital camera or iPhone. A professional photographer has the ability to snap a wide-lens, outdoor shot, and then capture close-up shots of your floral arrangement.

A well-prepared and experienced photographer will own all of the equipment required for the photography you have requested, and they’ll bring technology that adapts to different situations to ensure the best results. For example, if you want well-lit, close-up images, a professional will make sure to bring flash units and shades, as well as a few different lenses.

Backed Up

A professional photographer always prepares for the worst. They will carry extra equipment and have a back-up plan in place in case any disasters arise. They’ll also carry an array of equipment such as an extra camera body, SD cards and batteries. Some may even have one or two extra photographers on hand to capture shots from many different angles.

If the weather turns grim, an inexperienced photographer may not be able to produce the desired outdoor shots you’ve requested. A professional will offer remarkable alternatives that take advantage of the dramatic, stormy backdrop and puddle reflections.

An experienced photographer is aware that immediately backing up images is vital. While some may only keep them on file for a certain amount of time, this will give you peace of mind that your precious mementos are safe and can easily be recovered.

A Retouching Experience

Professional photographers own a range of high-tech equipment, so there’s no doubt their images will be extremely high in quality. From the elegantly staged photos, to those sudden emotional moments, a professional can capture it all and make it look even better in postproduction. The photographer will carefully choose the best images from the day and edit them to perfection. They may also give the images a cohesive colour scheme and remove unsightly additions such as creased dresses or suits. This process can take up to a few months, depending on how many images were taken and how much editing is required.

Browsing through your potential photographers’ portfolio will give you an idea of the amount of editing that is usually required. If you want a certain look for your photos, enlist someone who has already worked on this style of photography on previous weddings. Similarly, if you want your images to be a certain size, or delivered by a particular date, ensure you discuss this with your photographer before you book.

Memories may slowly fade, but images will not. By hiring a professional photographer to capture all of the action from your wedding day, you can rest assured you’ll be able to reminisce about your special day for many years to come.

Image Credit: Kevin McGinn Photographer