Is it very important to hire a professional photographer for my wedding day?

I want to hire my friend to take my wedding photos, hear it all the time

I hear this so many times where couples consider using "uncle Bob" or a friend who has a good camera to photograph their wedding.Firstly having a good camera in no stretch of the imagination makes anyone a good photographer or able to take good photographs.The next thing I say to couples is, "shouldn't uncle Bob or your friend be there as a guest and enjoy your wedding day rather than be worried about getting everything right?"Here are a few bullet points you should consider when using a friend or relative as the photographer on your day.Pro'sCheapCon'sThey don't get to relax and enjoy your dayWhat if their camera fails, battery goes flat, memory card locks, lens fogs upWill they know where to be to get all those shots during the ceremony, rings, kiss etcDo they know locations to go to if its raining for photosWill they be able to direct people to keep the days photos flowingWill they be able to shoot in low light without flash for your bridal danceWhat if they are sick on the dayWhat if you don't like the photos they took, that will strain any relationship knowing they messed up your wedding photosDo they know how to get that shot that will blow you awayCan they work in tricky lighting like a bright sunny day or a highly backlit churchIf your friend damages something in a venue or worse still, injures someone they are liableWho is going to edit all the hundreds of imagesWill they know how to pose you correctly for the bridal photosA professional photographer has contingencies already in place for all these points and more.Bottom line is any single one of these and many other problems can literally ruin your wedding days photos. You have spent no doubt thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on getting this all right and you want to have an accurate and amazing record of it all to keep.Don't risk it, hire a professional who has a payment plan and pay it off over time.

It is extremely important to hire A Pro photographer for Beautiful Stunning Photo's

As We Pro know when to use Flash.

Hi Tina,

When choosing a photographer it is important that you like them as people as much as you like their style of photography.

Whether you choose a professional or "uncle John" to take your wedding photos, just make sure that they can show you samples of their work, that you know what to expect from them and them from you, that they have appropriate gear and back ups, that they have reasonable knowledge of the area you are getting married in and if not that they are willing to travel prior to your day to scout locations.

Remember its not just a fancy camera that does the work, its who is behind the lens that counts.  

We only get one chance to have our wedding days captured.

Cheers

Sam

Hi Tina,

It all comes down to what do you most value? A news article covering the hurricane in the US interviewed several people affected and the most important thing they all wanted to save were their photographs. If your photos are that important to you then absolutley without a doubt hire a professional. If you are happy with having a few happy snaps and being ok with ending up with a few blurry rushed shots, then you can manage without a professional. 

Your wedding is all about what you want. No one can tell you what is important and what isn't. The only thing you absolutely do need is a groom, a celebrant and 2 witnesses. The rest are all optional extras. 

If you do go ahead with a professional there are other questions posted in this Advice area that cover that from many photographers but the most important would be 2 things. 1. Do you love their work? 2. Do you get on with the photographer? They are with you more than anyone on your day so it will make your day so much nicer if you have a good rapport with your photographer. The rest is really about working out a package and price that works best for you. 

Happy planning!

Naomi - Tascon Photography

Just like choosing your partner, it IS very important to get the right people for all the aspects of your wedding day, especially the photographer, as when it is all over the photos will be your memories you can share. Hiring a professional photographer should ensure you get someone experienced who can produce high quality photos that you will want to share, taking pot luck with an amateur may lead to tears afterwards. You should still go through a selection process to find the professional photographer whose style, personality and options suit you, as most of us offer a variety of coverages, prints and albums. One of the most important things to guarantee success, is to be prepared to visit your photographer for an appointment where you can discuss your ideas. Ask the photographer if she/he will be the one photographing your wedding, as some studios have several photographers. (If not, ask to meet the person who will be doing your wedding.) Ask to see samples of her/his work. Check how long will be needed for photo sessions at various venues. The more information you provide, the more accurate the quote will be. Check that it includes all the things you want. I like to then customise my coverage to fit your theme and requests, so your set of photos feels very personal and is not just the same set of standard shots you have seen again and again.

Hi Tiana

Like all your wonderful responses already... Your wedding day will no doubt be top of the list of the best day of your life.

Memories are great but to actually visually see that moment again enhances your memories to the next level and brings the emotions of the day back to the now even if it is 25 years down the track.

You can get your friend aunty or uncle to take the photos for free to save money but think about this.... firstly they miss out on enjoying the day with you and their family. Now let's talk about the things that could go wrong that won't if you hire a professional. They might have missed the kiss, they could have got a great shot but the tops of heads were cut off. Maybe the memory card filled up before the reception. Or the battery died... They could have had too much fun and lost the camera. Or if you are lucky you might have a great shot you absolutely love! But guess what?.. the resolution is so low that you can't even print a large print for the lounge room wall. Hmmmm do you want that kind of stress?

Just hire a professional who you get along with like a friend they will be by your side almost all day so it is very important to meet your potential photographer early on in case you think you might want to try another.

Ask as many questions as you like think about what is important to you and make sure they know about those things.

Price and what you will get for it is important to understand before you pay.

Happy wedding planning!

Hope that helps

1st I will ask him are you available on this date,

2nd then i will ask how can i see you work

3rd what dose your prices start from

Hi Tianna, to get the answer to your question please visit this article from our local paper about a couple we helped out who didn't use a professional. http://cairns-wedding-photographer.com.au/about/ Good luck and have an epic day ;)

• How many weddings are you doing that weekend?-- Doing back to back weddings might not only reduce photographer performance but also increase turn around time for photos.
• Are you my photographer?-- Some studios choose the photographer based on work load.
• What is the turn around time to see my photos? And how much retouching is done?-- This will give you a good idea of the photographers post processing procedures that have been setup. Some studios outsource their photos for retouching which is okay but may extend turn around times.
• If I do order an album what is the turn around time and how much will it cost for extra pages or changes?-- A good album is hand crafted book with thick matted pages, if you want to show off your album get a coffee table book but keep your special album safe as accidents happen.
• If the photographer provides an online gallery what privacy features are implemented and how long is the gallery active?--There will be a lot of options and working though this with your photographer should be done.
• What did you learn from your last wedding? --Every wedding is different and every wedding will throw up some curve balls that every wedding vendor needs to deal with on the day.

I think I have finished my essay now, sorry if it seemed to be a novel but I tried to only choose the very essentials.

I wish you good luck on your choices.
Nick & Michelle
Bauldrick Productions Photography