A Guide to How & Why you should choose a Professional Wedding Photographer

Of all the suppliers involved in making your perfect wedding day, from the florists at the ceremony through to the choice of d.j. at the reception, it is the photographer that has one of the greatest responsibilities.

Long after the cake has been eaten, the flowers have wilted and the dress has been packed away, it will be the photography that will illustrate & define your memories.  The skills & perspective that your chosen photographer brings to your wedding day will dictate the narrative & the quality of work produced.

Invest in quality & a proven track record

All too often a bride’s memories are soured with being left with inferior photography from a day that has no re-runs or second chance to capture.  Rather than a feeling of joy when viewing the images, there is a tear in the eye & feeling of regret for not making the right investment decision.

Professional wedding photography will effortlessly bring you back to that wedding ‘moment’ time and again, bringing an instant glow & smile across your face.  For this reason alone, it is worth paying for the professional wedding photographer as opposed to employing a keen amateur or entrusting the job to a friend.

Why on earth would any couple wish to use a friend and entrust them with the responsibility of having to capture every detail of the big day.  Would it not be better for that friend or family member to be able to participate and enjoy the day without the great burden of responsibility?

Avoiding a nightmare scenario with an amateur photographer

A friend recently told me of a wedding that they attended where the brother of the groom was handed the task of capturing the events of the day.  Upon seeing the photography that it was clear to see that the greater majority of the images were of the Grooms side of the family (as the family photographer knew all these people rather well) and the Brides side of the family was largely over looked as the amateur photographer felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar with that side of the family and interacting with them.

This awful situation sounds plausible & unfortunately its likely to be repeated many times over even though its often only a professional wedding photographer that has the necessary skills required in organizing groups and giving a truly balanced record of the wedding day.

Remember you pay for the skills & service

Both amateur and some professional photographers are guilty of being too preoccupied with ‘what’s in the kit bag?’ toy envy, gadget obsession or techie stuff, call it what you wish.  Yes, its reasonable to think that a certain level of quality equipment is needed but what you are looking for in assessing your wedding photographer is the person standing behind it & using the camera.

Its irrelevant what lens, brand or F-stop they use if they cannot instinctively use it.  To know what to do when the weather goes bad, what settings to flick to in a moment when following a bride from a bright outdoor location to a dimly lit church, keeping the pictures flowing with every instance correctly lit & composed.  These are real qualities to look for within your wedding photographer and these will be self evident if you take the time to view several real wedding albums of their work.

Wannabe wedding photographers get side tracked into thinking it is all about equipment, why should it be? Buying a new cooker doesn’t make you the new Gordon Ramsay, nor does buying some oil paints & brushes make you the next Van Gogh, so why should spending a few thousand pounds on camera equipment equate to being a professional photographer?

When choosing a wedding photographer it is so important to keep things simple and not be sidetracked from basic core qualities that each photographer should openly display.

• Thoroughly examine the photographers website viewing as much material as possible to gain an insight into their style and their skills.

• If there is a lack of material showing real weddings from start to finish – be cautious, they may never have shot an entire wedding on their own.

• Examine the images they produce, are they followers of fashion, who use vintage processing (faded yellows) or selective colouring of black & white images.  These fads will date quickly and you may find irritating in time.

• Although the people at a wedding are the most important, look out for how they capture details.  All the DIY and thought that goes into the fine details needs to be recorded as it does say so much about you and the care that went into the wedding preparation.

• Check for any testimonials on their site and any feedback from happy couples on their blog & social networking sites.

• They should have professional indemnity and liability coverage to cover any such eventualities.

• They have membership to a recognized professional photographic society (SWPP, BIPP, or MPA) and have been accredited by them.

• They will have a full set up of backup equipment incase of any technical failures.

• Try & meet with your photographer before the wedding either on an engagement photo shoot or at their studio when viewing their work.  It’s an invaluable experience for both sides in building the working relationship.

Your choice of photographer and their respective style of work will define your memories of the day for many years to come, so take your time with research and freely ask any questions.

Professionals are always glad to hear from couples that show interest in their work and will freely talk, share their experience & freely advise you.